Today the Fair Fees Campaign Group has written to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee calling on her to reduce the extortionate immigration fees related to the Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card as part of the upcoming budget.
With many anticipating measures in Budget 2024 to ease the burden of the cost-of-living crisis, migrants are calling on the Minister to look at IRP fees which are forcing them to make difficult choices and go without essentials.
The IRP card fee is €300.
Most people living in Ireland from outside the EU are forced to pay this fee every year, some even more often.
Last year alone the government collected €58 million from people paying IRP card fees.
The Fair Fees Campaign Group is calling on the Minister to reduce the fee to a level more in line with similar fees charged for other state registrations such as a passport (€75) or driver’s licence (€55).
Campaigns Co-ordinator Neil Bruton says that this is an exploitation of migrants in order to generate income for the state………..
