MORE than 650 asylum seekers and other foreign nationals volunteered to be deported last year after falling on hard times.

Flights, estimated to have cost €120,000, were purchased on behalf of the "destitute" to take them out of Ireland.

The majority of the 664 non-nationals who agreed to return home last year were from Romania, with a significant number thought to be Romany.

In the past two years, more than 1,400 non-nationals asked for help in getting home, as economic conditions in Ireland worsened. Immigration sources said many of those involved had been involved in casual labour and were among the first to be let go during the recession.

The scheme applies to residents of the 12 European Union countries which were most recently allowed into the EU. According to the figures, 395 Romanians elected to return home last year because they could no longer support themselves in Ireland.

The next largest group were Poles, of whom 93 asked for deportation when they lost jobs, became homeless or otherwise ran out of money. There were also a significant number from Latvia (52), the Czech Republic (33), and Slovakia (47) according to figures from the Reception and Integration Agency.

The scheme ultimately represents a significant saving for the taxpayer as welfare costs and other associated bills do not have to be paid.

One immigration source said: "These are people who find themselves in very desperate circumstances, who may even have ended up on the street. They have little by way of a support network or safety net if they stay in Ireland, and at least if they can get back home, their family or friends can help them."

A decision to help destitute non-nationals return home was made by the Department of Justice in response to the accession of 10 countries to the EU in May 2004.

The scheme was later extended in January 2007 to include Bulgaria and Romania, which had just joined the European Union.

It is understood the costs of the programme involve not only flights back to Eastern Europe but also a night or two accommodation in Dublin while arrangements are finalised.