Ashling Murphy murder cited in TDs' Dáil deportations call

In the Dáil this week two Offaly TDs week called on the Government to introduce automatic deportation for foreign nationals, including EU citizens, who are convicted of serious offences in Ireland.

Fine Gael's John Clendennen raised the issue in the Dáil on Tuesday while local Independent TD Carol Nolan spoke on the same topic today (Wednesday).

Deputy Clendennen told the Dáil that the murder of Ashling Murphy by Jozef Puska on January 12, 2022, made it "one of the darkest days in the history of County Offaly and indeed Ireland".

He alluded to the recent sentencing of five members of Jozef Puska’s family for offences, including withholding information, with respect to the murder of Ashling Murphy, and said "there remains a deep sense of unease and dismay among many that the punishment did not reflect the gravity of the crime".

"Ireland is and must always remain an open and welcoming country, a place of compassion, fairness and opportunity. However, that openness does not come at the expense of safety.

"We need measures that send a clear signal that while Ireland welcomes those who contribute positively to our economy and our society, we simply will not tolerate those who abuse our hospitality or endanger our citizens," said Deputy Clendennen.

"Deportation upon completion of a sentence for serious offences should be automatic," he added.

Responding on behalf of the Government, Minister Jack Chambers said he wanted to "commend the family of Ashling Murphy and everyone in the community in County Offaly who have shown such incredible resilience, strength and dignity while dealing with the most horrendous circumstances".

Minister Chambers said that "the removal from the State of convicted criminals and those who are a danger to public safety" was "a priority" for Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan and for the Government.

He said that "Under the 2015 free movement regulation, orders can be made for the removal and exclusion of EU citizens, or their family members, in certain circumstances. There is a particular threshold, grounds and a bar upon which that is set."

The Minister added that there had been a large increase in the number of removal orders under the freedom of movement directive, from 24 in 2024 to 99 so far this year.

Deputy Carol Nolan said there was widespread public support for the automatic deportation of non-nationals found guilty of violent crimes upon conclusion of custodial sentences handed down to them by the Irish courts.

"Our immigration law explicitly allows for deportation in cases of criminal convictions, particularly in relation to serious or violent convictions," she told the Dáil today.

Deputy Nolan added that non-Irish nationals "who come here and commit barbaric acts of savagery against young women such as what happened in Tullamore in 2022 should be on the next plane out of here".