Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2026
553. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide a breakdown of the current average actual delivery times for IRP cards, rather than the stated 15 day target; the steps being taken to bridge the gap; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47792/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra554. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his plans to review the current 15-day SLA in light of the Department’s inability to meet the SLA to reflect a more realistic timeline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47793/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra555. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to consider implementing a digital card that visa holders would be able to store in their mobile wallets to reduce the reliance on the delivery of a physical card therefore allowing successful visa applicants to maintain their work arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47794/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra556. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the status of the contract used for IRP card delivery; if there have been assessments as to whether these third-party providers are contributing to delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47795/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 553, 554, 555 and 556 together.
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.
When an online renewal application or first time registration is successfully processed, the applicant can typically expect to receive their new IRP card within the following 10-15 working days.
My Department orders the printing of batches of IRP cards from a third party provider. Printing may occasionally be delayed for short periods due to necessary and routine system maintenance; however, any delays are typically recovered within the same week. The outsourcing of the printing of IRP cards enables officials to focus on the processing applications for both first time registrations and online renewals.
The 10-15 working day timeline provided to applicants is the typical delivery time for IRP cards. The information requested by the Deputy relating to the current average delivery time of IRP cards is not available. If an application has been approved and the person has not received their IRP card after 15 working days, they can contact the Registration Office using the Department’s Customer Service Portal, at the following link: https://portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/
The common format of European Residence Permits is set out in https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/eu-format-for-residence-permits.html The directive does not currently provide for the digitalisation of residency permits.
