€3,700 to deport each illegal immigrant

The cost of charter flights to deport illegal immigrants averaged more than €3,700 per person removed from the country last year, new figures reveal.

Specially arranged flights for 82 deportees ended up costing the State €305,000, the Justice Department has admitted.

In all, the Government spent €545,000 on special and commercial flights for 209 illegal immigrants in 2013, figures released under freedom of information show.