418. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total number of instances where a fee of €300 was paid for the issuing of an IRP card, including both registration and renewal, in 2025; and the total income from this activity. [46730/26]

The Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card provides a person with a secure immigration document that includes individual biometrics indicators protected by a sophisticated encryption system and showing the holders’ immigration status in the State.

The issuance of the IRP card is the final act of a legal and administrative process involving consideration of the applicant’s particular circumstances and reason for wishing to reside in the State, by a number of different Units in Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) of my Department. The registration fee of €300 is designed to reflect the totality of that effort and cost in processing immigration residence permissions. These costs are above and beyond the cost of the physical production of the card itself.

It is normal practice throughout EU Member States to charge a fee for immigration services. The current registration fee has remained unchanged since 2012 and is subject to a range of exemptions insofar as certain groups of applicants are concerned.

An applicant is exempted from the fee if they:

• A minor under 18 at the time of registration

• A spouse, widow or widower of an Irish citizen

• A civil partner or surviving civil partner of an Irish citizen

• A spouse or dependent of an EU national who has a residence permit

• A Programme Refugee or a person granted Refugee Status under Section 47(1) of the International Protection Act 2015

• A person granted Subsidiary Protection under Section 47(4) of the International Protection Act 2015

• A person granted Permission to Remain under Section 49(4)(a) of the International Protection Act 2015

• A family member reunited with a recognised refugee in Ireland under Section 56 of the International Protection Act 2015

• A person who has been granted a change of permission due to domestic violence

Since 13 January 2025, all nationwide first-time registrations of Irish immigration residence permissions are the responsibility of the Registration Office of ISD of my Department. Furthermore, since November 2024, all renewals of immigration permissions transferred to ISD and are done using my Department’s online platform, meaning that applicants from across the country no longer have to attend in person at their local Garda Station.

I can inform the Deputy that the total revenue generated for both first time registrations and immigration permission renewals in 2025 was €79,022,400 in relation to 263,408 instances where the registration fee was paid.

Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.