Deportations set to increase by 50%

DEPORTATIONS are on course to increase by more than 50% this year, with new figures showing the gardaí transported 193 people out of the country up to September – compared with 161 in the whole of 2008.

Despite the rise, Fine Gael said there are still up to 5,000 deportation orders not implemented.

Since the start of 2008, almost €1.5 million was spent on travel arrangements to send 354 people back to their home countries after their asylum applications were refused.