500 Europeans opt for repatriation

THE number of foreign nationals availing of a European voluntary repatriation scheme in 2010 because they were homeless is likely to match the 2009 figure.

Latest figures from the Department of Justice show that in the 10 months until the end of October, a total of 511 European nationals had been taken back to their own country at a combined cost of €111,493.

The scheme, called the EU12 Repatriation Function, is operated here by the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) and is entirely voluntary.