Ken O’Flynn TD: Attempted Child Abductor Walks Free — “Will This Be Yet Another Unenforced Deportation Order?”

Ken O’Flynn TD: Attempted Child Abductor Walks Free — “Will This Be Yet Another Unenforced Deportation Order?”

Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn has expressed deep concern following reports that a man who attempted to abduct a child has been permitted to walk free from court, with only an instruction to leave the country. Deputy O’Flynn warned that, based on the Government’s dismal record on deportation enforcement, this latest case risks becoming yet another instance where serious offenders evade consequences.

“It is incredible — and frankly, astonishing and deeply disturbing that a man involved in an attempted child abduction can be allowed to simply walk out of court on the basis of a promise to leave the country,” Deputy O’Flynn said. “Given this Government’s track record, we must seriously question whether this is going to be just another case of ‘head off whenever you like’ — with no real follow-through.

Deputy O’Flynn pointed to official figures released in December 2024, revealing that only 6 per cent of deportation orders are enforced.

“That means the vast majority of people who are supposed to leave Ireland simply disappear into the system, never to be seen again.  And this is not hypothetical; it has been proven time and again” he said.

He highlighted the high-profile case of Chico Makamda, originally from Angola, who had 15 previous convictions for violent assault against women, sexual assault, false imprisonment, indecent exposure to teenagers, robbery, and other serious crimes. Despite being sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, with two and a half years suspended on the condition he leave the country by the end of January, he was later photographed walking freely in Dublin, two months past his departure deadline.

“This Government has a shameful record of allowing dangerous individuals to ignore court orders as if they were mere suggestions, not binding obligations,” O’Flynn said. “If you or I ignored a court order, there would be immediate consequences. Yet time and again, violent offenders are repeatedly handed a free pass, while public safety is treated as an afterthought.”

Deputy O’Flynn said the situation raises serious questions about public safety, the rule of law, public safety, and the competence of those tasked with immigration enforcement.

“How can the public have any confidence in the system when individuals who pose a clear threat are left free to do as they please? How can we credibly claim that this country takes law and order seriously when court rulings are effectively optional?”

He called for an immediate review of all cases involving unenforced deportation orders and demanded that deportation orders be enforced as a matter of urgency, particularly in cases involving violence, sexual offences, or threats to public safety.

“We are seeing the cost of weak leadership and political cowardice,” Deputy O’Flynn concluded. “It is long past time to move from empty words to decisive action. Protecting the public must be the Government’s first priority — not its last.”