MORE THAN 20 Albanian and Georgian nationals have been deported from Ireland.

The deportation follows a joint operation involving the Garda Natural Immigration Bureau (GNIB) and international agencies including Frontex, the EU Border Agency.

Some 19 males and four females, who are all adults, were subject to deportation orders from the territory of member states of the European Union and Schengen associated states.

Ireland was the organising member state involved in the operation.

The 23 individuals, who were denied asylum, boarded a flight at Dublin Airport this morning with planned stops in Tirana, Albania, and Tbilisi, Georgia.

The deportees were accompanied by two medical staff and two Frontex monitors, as well as officers from the GNIB.

Last month, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said large numbers of Albania and Georgian nationals were entering Ireland using fake documents and then seeking asylum.

Varadkar said “we cannot tolerate illegal entry” and added that security was being stepped up to tackle the issue.

Related Read New figures show 134 children have been deported from Ireland since 2013

The Department of Justice and Equality Immigration Services engages the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to operate voluntary return programmes, which assist persons to return to their countries of origin.

A statement from the Department said “enforced removals are carried out as a measure of last resort when the person concerned has not removed themselves form the State or engaged with the International Office for Migration to avail of assisted voluntary return measures.”