Govt to sign deportation deal with Bulgaria

Justice Minister John O’Donoghue will sign an agreement on the speedy deportation of illegal immigrants with Bulgaria today.

Under the deal, Bulgarian citizens and non-EU nationals who enter Ireland illegally via Bulgaria can be easily deported.

Mr O’Donoghue has already signed similar agreements with Nigeria, Romania and Poland.

He came in for severe criticism after it emerged that the deal on the deportation of Nigerians coincided with the Irish Government providing more than €11m in aid to Nigerian development projects.