By D Collins
As the government prepares to unveil the upcoming national budget, one figure should give every taxpayer pause: €1,250,987,736 that’s how much could have been saved over the past six years if Ireland had ceased welfare, rent, and utility support to migrants who had already received deportation orders.
This isn’t a tabloid fantasy. It’s a basic calculation of what the State continues to spend on individuals who have been formally ordered to leave the country in many cases, after exhausting all legal avenues.
The Hidden Cost of Inaction
According to official Oireachtas and Department of Justice figures, 6,527 deportation orders have been issued between 2019 and 2024. Yet in most cases, those orders have not resulted in removal. Many remain in the country, some hiding, others waiting in limbo while still drawing down benefits from a State already struggling to fund housing, health, and public safety.
With average weekly welfare payments sitting around €210, and housing/utilities pushing the true weekly cost to €614 per person, the maths becomes hard to ignore:
€614 × 52 weeks × 6 years × 6,527 recipients = €1.25 billion
This staggering figure dwarfs the annual budgets of several government departments. Yet it remains a silent cost that rarely makes headlines shielded by bureaucratic language and a reluctance to confront hard truths.
The Problem Isn’t Compassion It’s Policy Paralysis
Ireland has every right and duty to care for vulnerable asylum seekers while their cases are assessed. But once a person is deemed not to qualify, has been issued with a formal deportation order, and all appeals have been exhausted, the system should no longer fund their stay.
Continuing to pay benefits under these circumstances:
Undermines public trust in the immigration system
De-incentivises voluntary departure
Sends the wrong message to genuine applicants abroad
No other country with a functioning immigration system permits this level of leniency after a legal deportation ruling.
A Budget-Time Solution
As the 2025 budget looms, politicians will talk about tough choices: rising public sector pay, health sector backlogs, Garda recruitment shortages, pension reform, and housing delivery delays.
Here’s one immediate, lawful, and morally defensible cut:
Enforce existing deportation orders
Cease all non-essential State payments after the order is issued
Redirect saved funds to veterans’ housing, emergency services, or hospital beds
This isn’t about scapegoating migrants it’s about restoring fairness and credibility to the asylum and immigration system.
Conclusion Compassion with Common Sense
Ireland has built a proud reputation for hospitality and human rights, especially in times of global upheaval. But even the most generous social contract must have limits. When the law says “leave,” and the taxpayer keeps paying instead, the system is no longer generous it’s broken.
As Budget 2025 is finalised, this is a fix that would save over €1.25 billion without hurting a single vulnerable citizen. It’s time to restore both order and fiscal discipline.