Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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586. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date with the undocumented persons scheme, including a breakdown of those who have applied and have received a decision under both strands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59358/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The General Scheme for the Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants closed on 31 July 2022. This once in a generation scheme was designed to give long-term undocumented people without a current permission to remain in the State, the chance to regularise their status, access the labour market and begin their path to citizenship.

My Department recorded 6,548 applications in respect of 8,311 people under the scheme.

4,794 decisions have been issued as of the 28 November 2022 to applicants of the scheme.

Of these: 4,654 (97 %) are positive decisions, 94 (2%) are negative decisions, and 46 (1%) applications have been withdrawn by the applicants for various reasons.

All other applications continued to be processed and processing times may vary depending on the complexity of the application. Applications where there is an existing deportation order will require additional processing.

Additionally, the International Protection strand of the Regularisation scheme, which closed on the 07 August 2022, has recorded 3,193 applications up to 25 November 2022, with 1,296 successful decisions issued and an additional 1,007 granted an equivalent permission by the International protection office.A further 396 applications were ineligible and 260 applications withdrawn.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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587. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her views on reducing the cost of GNIB cards in view of the cost-of-living crisis. [59359/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I am aware, particularly in the current economic climate, of the financial pressures that non-EEA nationals in the State are under.

The standard fee of €300 payable by an applicant is designed to reflect the effort and cost involved in processing registrations and the cost of issuing an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card. The Registration Office of my Department also provides an online renewals portal that speeds up the renewal process and a customer service team that is available to support customers.

The cost of registration is kept under ongoing review by my Department. However, there are no current plans to reduce the fee.

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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588. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if Irish citizens with family members in Russia are still able to bring family members from Russia to Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59360/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I can inform the Deputy, there has been no change in the application process in relation to family members of Irish nationals living in Russia, that would like to join their family here.

Individuals who are from a country that are visa-required to travel to Ireland will still need to apply for a visa to travel to the State. It remains the case that Russian nationals are visa required and must have a valid Irish visa before they seek to enter the State. Any person that wishes to make a visa application must do so online at: www.visas.inis.gov.ie/avats/OnlineHome.aspx.

The following pages on the Irish Immigration website may be of some assistance when creating a join family visa application;

www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-join-family-in-ireland/

www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Policy-document-on-Non-EEA-family-reunification.pdf