This marks a decline of 994 from the 3,287 individuals refused entry for the same reason in 2023. The decrease follows measures introduced by then-Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, who last August increased fines for airlines and ferry companies that allow passengers to travel without proper documentation.

The Ministerial order raised the maximum fine from €3,000 to €5,000 in an effort to prevent individuals from discarding their travel documents to facilitate asylum claims. At the time, McEntee emphasized the legal responsibility of airlines and ferry operators to ensure that all passengers have valid documentation, warning that failure to comply would result in clear penalties.

In response to a parliamentary question from TD Carol Nolan, the Department of Justice reported that a total of 5,255 individuals were refused entry to the State at Dublin Airport in 2024—a 10% decrease from the 5,826 refusals recorded in 2023.

While the number of refusals due to missing travel documents declined, refusals related to ‘false documents & importers’ increased by 23.5%, rising from 872 in 2023 to 1,077 in 2024.

The highest number of refusals in recent years occurred in 2022, when 7,662 people were denied entry, including 4,968 due to a lack of travel documents.

The decline in refusals last year occurred despite a 4% increase in passenger arrivals at Dublin Airport, which rose from 16.62 million in 2023 to 17.3 million in 2024.

Dublin Airport’s front-line immigration control falls under the Border Management Unit (BMU) of the Department of Justice, while immigration at other airports and ports is managed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).

The decrease in refusals for missing documentation follows close collaboration between the Department of Justice, the GNIB, and airlines.

Measures include in-person training for airline ground staff on immigration requirements and counterfeit travel documents, as well as intelligence-led operations to detect passengers who destroy documents mid-flight and identify embarkation points of undocumented travellers.

In 2024, the BMU conducted over 7,300 doorstep operations at Dublin Airport as part of these efforts.