IRELAND has deported 23 convicted men on a chartered flight to Romania.
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan confirmed that the men, who are all aged between 22 and 49 years old, were removed on grounds of “criminality”.
“All those removed had received custodial sentences for a range of offences,” his department confirmed.
Their removal orders were made in accordance with the Free Movement Directive and they include e-entry bans of up to 10 years to prevent their return to Ireland.
“The right to freedom of movement is among the most fundamental rights and freedoms provided to European citizens that we strive to protect,” Minister O’Callaghan said.
“Securing this right for our citizens is one of the most important achievements of the European Union, offering people the opportunity to work, study and live in 31 European countries, and assuring their protections to do so,” he added.
“Restricting the right to freedom of movement is not a measure I take lightly, but there must be consequences if a person’s behaviour means they should no longer be entitled to access this privilege,” Minister O’Callaghan explained.
“Action will be taken if our laws are not respected and upheld and this includes enforcing removal orders and sending people home.
“It is important to acknowledge that the vast majority of the Romanian community are law-abiding and hardworking people who make a positive contribution to Irish society.”
Under the Free Movement Directive, citizens of the EU, European Economic Area and Switzerland, and their qualifying family members, have the right to move and reside within these territories under certain conditions.
The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration can issue an order to restrict these rights and expel a person on grounds of Public Policy, Public Security or Public Health.
“These orders can be issued on specific, limited grounds based on the individual’s personal conduct and not general concerns,” Mr O’Callaghan’s department confirmed.
“They require a detailed examination of the person’s individual circumstances including their length of residence and family ties in Ireland to ensure that the restriction of freedom of movement rights is appropriate and proportionate.”
The 23 people removed yesterday were all Romanian nationals, the department confirmed.
Their charter flight left Dublin Airport at 14.25pm yesterday afternoon and arrived in Bucharest last night.