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Tuesday, 8 Feb 2022

Written Answers Nos. 348-369

Passport Services

Questions (348)

Michael McNamara

Question:

348. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport will issue for a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5855/22]

View answer

Written answers

With regard to the specific passport application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application is currently under consideration by the Passport Service. The Passport Service will be in touch shortly with the applicant.

Consular Services

Questions (349)

Carol Nolan

Question:

349. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of Irish citizens abroad receiving consular or embassy assistance while being incarcerated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5873/22]

View answer

Written answers

Consular assistance was requested and provided in approximately 320 cases involving Irish citizens imprisoned overseas between 2015 and 2021. In 2021, there were 23 new cases of Irish citizens in prison overseas in receipt of consular support.

The Department of Foreign Affairs provides consular assistance and support to any Irish citizen imprisoned overseas who requests our help. Our Embassies and Consulates provide direct assistance in many cases, through consular visits, when permitted, and through practical advice and assistance to individual detainees. Information on the types of assistance we can and cannot provide can be found at www.dfa.ie/travel/assistance-abroad/arrested-or-detained-abroad/.

My Department also works through our partnership with the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas (ICPO), which receives funding from our Emigrant Support Programme to support Irish prisoners overseas and their loved ones.

It should be noted that it is not possible to provide precise statistics for the number of Irish citizens detained or imprisoned overseas. In some cases the individuals involved do not seek any assistance or do not want the Irish authorities to be informed of their situations. In some other cases, regrettably, local authorities sometimes fail to notify the Irish authorities of the imprisonment of our citizens.

Passport Services

Questions (350)

Denis Naughten

Question:

350. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way a person (details supplied) can cancel their application when they cannot access the passport office on the number provided by the Houses of the Oireachtas urgent query service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5875/22]

View answer

Written answers

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the application has been cancelled as requested.

Passport Services

Questions (351, 352, 361, 364, 382)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

351. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a passport application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5884/22]

View answer

Colm Burke

Question:

352. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a first-time passport application by a person (details supplied) will be reviewed and expedited given the circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5924/22]

View answer

James Lawless

Question:

361. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the issues with a passport application by a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6055/22]

View answer

Michael Ring

Question:

364. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport will issue for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo given the estimated issue date for the passport was 11 November 2021. [6132/22]

View answer

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

382. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if an update will be provided in relation to a passport for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6495/22]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 351, 352, 361, 364 and 382 together.

With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has issued passports to the applicants.

Question No. 352 answered with Question No. 351.

Passport Services

Questions (353)

Johnny Mythen

Question:

353. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a passport application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5936/22]

View answer

Written answers

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has provided an update to the applicant.

Passport Services

Questions (354, 355, 356, 359, 363, 386)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

354. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passports that are currently being processed; the current turnaround time for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5991/22]

View answer

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

355. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he plans to expand the capacity of the passport office to improve turnaround times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5993/22]

View answer

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

356. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a commitment will be given to reopen the passport printing service and the introduction of an urgent appointment, one-day turnaround time in the passport office in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5994/22]

View answer

Gino Kenny

Question:

359. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that despite recent actions adopted to improve services at the Passport Office many people are still experiencing extensive delays across the board in terms of first-time passports and renewals (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6025/22]

View answer

Róisín Shortall

Question:

363. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the rapid renewal service (details supplied) will be reopened; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6104/22]

View answer

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

386. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way that he plans to address the significant delays for those who apply by post for a passport renewal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6612/22]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 354, 355, 356, 359, 363 and 386 together.

In January 2022, the Passport Service received over 137,000 new passport applications. This is the highest volume of monthly applications ever received and indicates that there is pent-up demand for passports following the relaxation of necessary travel restrictions due to the Covid pandemic. The Passport Service estimates that up to 1.7 million passport applications will be received this year.

The Passport Service issued over 634,000 passports in 2021 and 45% of simple adult renewals were issued within one business day.

While there is a very high volume of applications in the system, this does not represent a backlog. Figures show that there are currently 76,000 (53%) applications that are fully complete and are being processed by the Passport Service. There are also 67,000 applications (47%) in the system where the Passport Service is waiting for the customer to complete the application. In these cases, the onus is on the customer to submit the required documents to the Service. While the Passport Service makes every effort to contact applicants in such circumstances, their experience is that many applicants take weeks and sometimes months to send in the necessary documents.

The current passport processing times are:

- 10 working days for Simple Adult online renewals

- 15 working days for Complex or child online renewals

- 40 working days for First Time Applications on Passport Online

- 8 weeks for An Post’s mail-in “Passport Express” service

The processing times for a standard online renewal passport applications compare very favourably to processing times internationally in countries such as the UK, United States, Canada and Australia.

The Passport Service is currently experiencing high demand for first time passports, particularly for children. These first time applications are necessarily complex to process, since they are essentially applications for Irish citizenship. The Passport Service must validate the true identity of the applicant and take measures to confirm the applicant’s entitlement to Irish citizenship. It is the statutory responsibility of the Passport Service to protect the integrity of the Irish passport. Accordingly, a rigorous analysis process is in place to verify the identity and citizenship status of first time applicants. In the case of first time passport applications for children, the consent of guardians must also be thoroughly validated. Due to the intensive analysis underpinning first time online passport applications, the processing time is 40 working days.

My Department has been pro-actively planning to ensure the necessary resources are in place to meet the current and expected level of demand in 2022 and is making an unprecedented investment in the Passport Service in terms of additional staff and improvements to the passport processing and customer service systems.

My Department is working with the Public Appointments Service on a major recruitment drive that has been underway for several months. Since June of 2021, over 300 members of staff at all grades have been assigned to the Passport Service. Additional staff are being assigned on a weekly basis with a goal of reaching staff numbers of 900 by the end of March. This represents a doubling of staff numbers over the course of 9 months.

The Passport Service is implementing a number of further measures that will positively impact the current turnaround times and improve customer service:

- Intensive training of new staff and upskilling of existing staff is underway to increase the resources that can process complex applications.

- The Passport Service is actively prioritising first time applications and directing increased resources to processing these complex applications with a view to reducing the current turnaround time.

- A new document management process is being put in place that allows for a much quicker turnaround time when an applicant is asked to submit additional documents. Once these documents are received, they will be prioritised and complete applications will be processed in 3 weeks. This will greatly reduce the waiting time for applicants who are missing documents in their initial application.

In the context of the National Development Plan, my Department is making a major investment in the future of the Passport Service. Over the next couple of years, we will replace the core technology underpinning the service, which will deliver efficiencies and a more resilient passport system. Budget 2022 also included an investment of an additional €10m in passport services in response to the increasing demand for passports both at home and abroad.

The Passport Service Customer Service Hub officers respond to customer queries by phone and webchat as well as with enquiries related to Emergency Passport cases. The Customer Service Hub handled over 175,000 enquiries in 2021 and is handling over 5,000 customer contacts each week. During times of high demand, there can be delays in getting through to a service agent due to the volumes of enquiries. The Passport Service webchat is also operational and customers should refresh the page if the icon is grey. A webchat operator is available when the icon is green. I am confident that the recruitment of additional staff, along with significant training initiatives, will have a positive impact on our response to customer service demand.

The Passport Service operates three passport printing machines, two of which are located in the main production facility in Balbriggan and the third in the Passport Office in Lower Mount Street, Dublin. Passport applications from citizens residing in Ireland or elsewhere in the world are distributed for processing across the three Passport Offices. All passport applications are processed through the centralised automated passport service system. All production facilities can print a passport, irrespective of the channel through which the application is processed. The printing system allows for flexibility between printing machines if any one machine has reached capacity. Each passport printer has a printing capacity of 250 passports per hour. I am satisfied that the printing capacity of production equipment currently employed by the Passport Service is sufficient to meet the current and anticipated future demand for passports. There are no plans at this time to commission additional passport production equipment.

The Passport Offices in Mount St, Dublin 2 and in Cork offer an Urgent Appointment Service for the renewal of passports. This service was launched in Dublin on 27th September 2021 and in Cork on 26th October 2021. The Urgent Appointment Service ensures that, for those who unexpectedly require a very urgent turnaround of a passport renewal, there is an option available that is transparent, predictable and clear. It means that an applicant can book and pay for their appointment, safe in the knowledge that they will have their passport within a day, or a few days. To avail of the Urgent Appointment Service for Passport Renewal, applicants must first book an appointment to attend the public office in Dublin or Cork. Applicants can book an appointment through the Department of Foreign Affairs website (www.dfa.ie/passports).

The Urgent Appointment Service replaced the Rapid Renewal Service and customers availing of this service can renew their passport within 1 or 4 days in Dublin or in 4 days in Cork.

Over 2,500 citizens who required an urgent appointment have been accommodated by the passport offices in Dublin and Cork since they re-opened. Last week, the Passport Service has increased the number of appointments at its public offices by 100%, providing an extra 170 appointments per week.

The Travel Emergency service remains available to citizens in cases of medical emergency or death of a family member abroad.

The current turnaround time for An Post’s mail-in “Passport Express” service is 8 weeks. Proposed turnaround times for 2022 aim to reduce this turnaround time. Passport Online is the priority channel for applications as there are many efficiencies built into the system for both the applicant and the Passport Service. The Passport Online Service is four times quicker than paper-based applications for adult and child renewal applications and is the fastest, easiest and safest way to apply for a passport. Over 90% of applicants now apply online compared to 47% of applications received online in 2019.

Passport Online can be accessed by all first time applicants, irrespective of age both children and adults, in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Europe, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. All Irish citizens, including children, can use the online system to renew their passports from anywhere in the world.

I strongly urge anyone who is considering travelling overseas this year, particularly families with young children, to check the validity of their passports before booking travel and to apply for their passports online in plenty of time.

Question No. 355 answered with Question No. 354.
Question No. 356 answered with Question No. 354.

Human Rights

Questions (357)

Marian Harkin

Question:

357. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied); the actions his Department has taken in relation to this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6003/22]

View answer

Written answers

Respect for human rights is an integral part of Ireland’s foreign policy and we consistently seek to raise our concerns on human rights issues through the most appropriate and effective channels.

I note with concern the details in the case referred to by the Deputy. Officials from my Department have raised concerns over the human rights situation in Bahrain directly with the Bahraini authorities, including the specific case of Dr. Abduljalil Alsingace.

Our active participation at the UN Human Rights Council is a particularly important fora in which to raise our concerns regarding human rights. Ireland has raised the human rights issues in Bahrain at the Human Rights Council in the form of national statements and through support to EU Statements.Ireland also engages on the issue of human rights in Bahrain as a member of the European Union. At the most recent EU-Bahrain Human Rights Dialogue in February 2021, issues of concern were raised by the EU including rule of law, prison conditions, right to a fair trial, freedom of expression, freedom of association, death penalty, torture and the impact of Covid-19 on the human rights situation.

The EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore, has also made representations to the Bahraini authorities on human rights issues, including the detention of a number of individuals.

Ireland will continue to monitor developments in Bahrain, and calls on the Bahraini Government to deliver on its stated commitment to make progress in relation to human rights.

Human Rights

Questions (358)

Marian Harkin

Question:

358. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the changes that have been made regarding Irish-Bahraini relations since the deteriorating human rights conditions have been brought to the attention of his Department by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6004/22]

View answer

Written answers

Respect for human rights is an integral part of Ireland’s foreign policy and we consistently seek to raise our concerns on human rights issues through the most appropriate and effective channels.

I am aware of the concerns regarding the human rights situation in Bahrain. Officials from my Department have raised concerns over the human rights situation in Bahrain directly with the Bahraini authorities, including the issue of freedom of expression, detention of human rights defenders, and conditions in prisons.

Our active participation at the UN Human Rights Council is a particularly important fora in which to raise our concerns regarding human rights. Ireland has raised the human rights issues in Bahrain at the Human Rights Council in the form of national statements and through support to EU Statements.Ireland also engages on the issue of human rights in Bahrain as a member of the European Union. At the most recent EU-Bahrain Human Rights Dialogue in February 2021, issues of concern were raised by the EU including rule of law, prison conditions, right to a fair trial, freedom of expression, freedom of association, death penalty, torture and the impact of Covid-19 on the human rights situation.

The EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore, has also made representations to the Bahraini authorities on human rights issues, including the detention of a number of individuals.

Ireland will continue to monitor developments in Bahrain, and calls on the Bahraini Government to deliver on its stated commitment to make progress in relation to human rights.

Question No. 359 answered with Question No. 354.

Departmental Contracts

Questions (360)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

360. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the agencies under the remit of his Department; the amount that has been spent on all Covid-19-related consultancy contracts by his Department and agencies under his remit in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; the amount paid for each consultant; and the reason for the consultancy. [6038/22]

View answer

Written answers

The Department engages external contractors, consultancy services, professional services and outsourcing services where highly specialised skills are not available internally and in particular, where ongoing independent evaluation of programmes and projects is necessary.

The Department did not engage any Covid-19-related consultancies in the years in question.

There are no agencies under the remit of the Department.

Question No. 361 answered with Question No. 351.

Passport Services

Questions (362)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

362. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding a passport renewal application by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6103/22]

View answer

Written answers

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the applicant mistakenly applied for a first time passport rather than a passport renewal when completing the application form online. As a result, the estimated issue date given was in line with processing times for first time applications.

The Passport Service has issued a passport to this applicant.

Question No. 363 answered with Question No. 354.
Question No. 364 answered with Question No. 351.

Passport Services

Questions (365, 368)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

365. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide a schedule of the time backlogs on all accepted foreign-birth Irish passport applications by country; and the additional resources he has provided and will provide to clear these backlogs. [6180/22]

View answer

Catherine Murphy

Question:

368. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide a schedule of the time backlogs on all accepted foreign Irish passport renewal applications by country; and the additional resources he has provided and will provide to clear these backlogs. [6183/22]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to answer Questions Nos. 365 and 368 together.

The tables below outline the numbers of passport applications on hand with the Passport Service from overseas by country. Table 1 details the number of complete online applications that are with the Passport Service for processing. Table 2 details the number of incomplete online applications that require additional action by the applicant to be completed. This may include the submission of witnessed child identity and consent forms or documents such as birth certificates. These applications cannot be processed by the Passport Service until the required documents are received.

While there is a very high volume of applications in the system, this does not represent a backlog. In January the Passport Service received over 137,000 applications. Figures show that there are currently 76,000 (53%) applications that are fully complete and are being processed by the Passport Service. There are also 67,000 applications (47%) in the system which the Passport Service is waiting for the customer to complete the application.

The current passport processing times are:

- 10 working days for Simple Adult online renewals

- 15 working days for Complex or child online renewals

- 40 working days for First Time Applications on Passport Online

- 8 weeks for An Post’s mail-in “Passport Express” service

Online processing times apply to all online applications regardless of whether they originate in Ireland or overseas. These processing times are in addition to the time it takes for the postal provider to deliver the passport. This can vary depending on the applicant's location.

The Passport Service is facing its busiest year to date with an estimated 1.7 million passport applications expected. This volume of passport applications represents a significant increase from the previous high number of applications in 2019 when 935,000 passports were issued. My Department has been pro-actively planning to ensure the necessary resources are in place to meet this level of demand and is making an unprecedented investment in the Passport Service in terms of additional staff and improvements to the passport processing and customer service systems.

My Department is working with the Public Appointments Service on a major recruitment drive that has been underway for several months. Since June of 2021, over 300 members of staff at all grades have been assigned to the Passport Service. Additional staff are being assigned on a weekly basis with a goal of reaching staff numbers of 900 by the end of March. This represents a doubling of staff numbers over the course of 9 months.

The Passport Service is implementing a number of further measures that will positively impact the current turnaround times and improve customer service:

Intensive training of new staff and upskilling of existing staff is underway to increase the resources that can process complex applications.

The Passport Service is actively prioritising first time applications and directing increased resources to processing these complex applications with a view to reducing the current turnaround time.

A new document management process is being put in place that allows for a much quicker turnaround time when an applicant is asked to submit additional documents. Once these documents are received, they will be prioritised and complete applications will be processed in 3 weeks. This will greatly reduce the waiting time for applicants who are missing documents in their initial application.

In the context of the National Development Plan, my Department is making a major investment in the future of the Passport Service. Over the next couple of years, we will replace the core technology underpinning the service, which will deliver efficiencies and a more resilient passport system. Budget 2022 also included an investment of an additional €10m in passport services in response to the increasing demand for passports both at home and abroad.

We are confident that the measures that have been implemented will help to reduce passport turnaround times in the course of 2022, particularly for first time applications, and will assist the Passport Service in meeting the high demand forecast for this year.

Table 1 - Complete online applications with Passport Service for processing

Country

Adult/Child FTA*/Renewal

Total per category

Total

ALBANIA

Adult Renewal

1

1

ARGENTINA

Adult Renewal

1

1

AUSTRALIA

Adult FTA

292

573

AUSTRALIA

Adult Renewal

46

AUSTRALIA

Child FTA

219

AUSTRALIA

Child Renewal

16

AUSTRIA

Adult FTA

13

19

AUSTRIA

Adult Renewal

2

AUSTRIA

Child FTA

4

BARBADOS

Child Renewal

1

1

BELGIUM

Adult FTA

19

42

BELGIUM

Adult Renewal

6

BELGIUM

Child FTA

14

BELGIUM

Child Renewal

3

BULGARIA

Adult FTA

5

5

CANADA

Adult FTA

308

410

CANADA

Adult Renewal

19

CANADA

Child FTA

75

CANADA

Child Renewal

8

CANARY ISLANDS

Adult FTA

2

6

CANARY ISLANDS

Adult Renewal

1

CANARY ISLANDS

Child FTA

3

CHILE

Adult FTA

2

4

CHILE

Adult Renewal

1

CHILE

Child FTA

1

COLOMBIA

Child FTA

1

1

CROATIA

Adult FTA

1

1

CYPRUS

Child FTA

4

7

CYPRUS

Adult FTA

3

CZECH REPUBLIC

Child FTA

8

11

CZECH REPUBLIC

Adult FTA

3

DENMARK

Adult FTA

17

29

DENMARK

Child FTA

12

ECUADOR

Adult FTA

2

3

ECUADOR

Child Renewal

1

EGYPT

Adult Renewal

2

2

ESTONIA

Adult FTA

1

1

FINLAND

Adult FTA

12

16

FINLAND

Child FTA

4

FRANCE

Adult FTA

176

253

FRANCE

Adult Renewal

4

FRANCE

Child FTA

65

FRANCE

Child Renewal

8

GERMANY

Adult FTA

81

118

GERMANY

Adult Renewal

4

GERMANY

Child FTA

33

GHANA

Child Renewal

2

2

GIBRALTAR

Adult FTA

11

16

GIBRALTAR

Adult Renewal

1

GIBRALTAR

Child FTA

4

GREECE

Adult FTA

8

11

GREECE

Adult Renewal

1

GREECE

Child FTA

1

GREECE

Child Renewal

1

GUERNSEY

Adult FTA

10

11

GUERNSEY

Child FTA

1

HONG KONG

Adult Renewal

1

1

HUNGARY

Adult FTA

4

7

HUNGARY

Adult Renewal

1

HUNGARY

Child FTA

1

HUNGARY

Child Renewal

1

ICELAND

Adult FTA

2

2

INDIA

Adult FTA

2

2

INDONESIA

Child FTA

1

2

INDONESIA

Child Renewal

1

ISLE OF MAN

Adult FTA

32

44

ISLE OF MAN

Adult Renewal

3

ISLE OF MAN

Child FTA

8

ISLE OF MAN

Child Renewal

1

ISRAEL

Adult Renew

1

2

ISRAEL

Child Renewal

1

ITALY

Adult FTA

30

42

ITALY

Child FTA

10

ITALY

Child Renewal

2

JAPAN

Adult FTA

1

2

JAPAN

Child Renewal

1

JORDAN

Child Renewal

1

1

KENYA

Adult Renewal

1

1

LATVIA

Child FTA

1

1

LITHUANIA

Adult FTA

2

3

LITHUANIA

Child FTA

1

LUXEMBOURG

Child FTA

9

17

LUXEMBOURG

Child Renewal

1

LUXEMBOURG

Adult FTA

7

MALTA

Adult FTA

8

13

MALTA

Child FTA

5

MEXICO

Child Renewal

2

2

NETHERLANDS

Adult FTA

46

75

NETHERLANDS

Adult Renewal

6

NETHERLANDS

Child FTA

18

NETHERLANDS

Child Renewal

5

NEW ZEALAND

Adult FTA

81

115

NEW ZEALAND

Adult Renewal

5

NEW ZEALAND

Child FTA

24

NEW ZEALAND

Child Renewal

5

NIGERIA

Child Renewal

1

1

NORWAY

Adult FTA

9

14

NORWAY

Adult Renweal

2

NORWAY

Child FTA

3

PAKISTAN

Adult Renewal

1

1

PANAMA

Child FTA

1

1

PERU

Adult FTA

1

1

PHILIPPINES

Adult FTA

1

2

PHILIPPINES

Adult Renewal

1

POLAND

Child FTA

10

31

POLAND

Child Renewal

7

POLAND

Adult FTA

14

PORTUGAL

Child FTA

13

21

PORTUGAL

Adult FTA

8

QATAR

Child FTA

1

1

ROMANIA

Adult FTA

2

4

ROMANIA

Adult Renewal

2

SAUDI ARABIA

Adult Renewal

1

1

SINGAPORE

Child Renewal

2

5

SINGAPORE

Child FTA

1

SINGAPORE

Adult FTA

1

SINGAPORE

Adult Renewal

1

SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Child FTA

2

2

SLOVENIA

Adult FTA

2

2

SOUTH AFRICA

Adult Renewal

7

13

SOUTH AFRICA

Child Renewal

6

SPAIN

Adult FTA

171

225

SPAIN

Adult Renewal

7

SPAIN

Child FTA

43

SPAIN

Child Renewal

4

SWEDEN

Adult FTA

12

19

SWEDEN

Child FTA

7

SWITZERLAND

Adult FTA

40

81

SWITZERLAND

Adult Renewal

3

SWITZERLAND

Child FTA

32

SWITZERLAND

Child Renewal

6

THAILAND

Child Renewal

4

7

THAILAND

Adult Renewal

3

UKRAINE

Child Renewal

2

2

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Child Renewal

8

14

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Adult Renewal

6

UNITED KINGDOM

Adult FTA

8,427

10,393

UNITED KINGDOM

Adult Renewal

326

UNITED KINGDOM

FTA

1,501

UNITED KINGDOM

Renewal

139

UNITED STATES

Adult FTA

1,621

2,096

UNITED STATES

Adult Renewal

56

UNITED STATES

Adult FTA

379

UNITED STATES

Adult Renewal

40

ZIMBABWE

Child Renewal

1

1

14,814

*FTA refers to First Time Applicant

Table 2 - Incomplete online passport applications with applicant for further action

Country

Adult/Child FTA/Renewal

Total per category

Total

AFGHANISTAN

Adult FTA

1

1

ALBANIA

Adult FTA

1

1

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

Adult FTA

1

1

ARGENTINA

Child Renewal

2

2

AUSTRALIA

Child FTA

324

1,065

AUSTRALIA

Child Renewal

222

AUSTRALIA

Adult FTA

420

AUSTRALIA

Adult Renewal

99

AUSTRIA

Child FTA

7

23

AUSTRIA

Child Renewal

7

AUSTRIA

Adult FTA

6

AUSTRIA

Adult Renewal

3

BAHRAIN

Child Renewal

8

8

BARBADOS

Child Renewal

1

1

BELGIUM

Child Renewal

22

51

BELGIUM

Child FTA

12

BELGIUM

Adult FTA

17

BERMUDA

Child Renewal

6

6

BOTSWANA

Child Renewal

3

4

BOTSWANA

Adult FTA

1

BRAZIL

Child Renewal

1

1

BULGARIA

Adult FTA

2

3

BULGARIA

Child FTA

1

CANADA

Adult FTA

274

455

CANADA

Adult Renewal

18

CANADA

Child FTA

108

CANADA

Child Renewal

55

CANARY ISLANDS

Child Renewal

3

12

CANARY ISLANDS

Child Renewal

2

CANARY ISLANDS

Adult FTA

1

CAYMAN ISLANDS

Child Renewal

6

CHILE

Adult FTA

1

1

CHINA

Child Renewal

11

11

COLOMBIA

Adult Renewal

2

4

COLOMBIA

Adult FTA

1

COLOMBIA

Child Renewal

1

CROATIA

Child FTA

1

1

CYPRUS

Adult FTA

10

15

CYPRUS

Adult Renewal

1

CYPRUS

Child FTA

2

CYPRUS

Child Renewal

2

CZECH REPUBLIC

Child FTA

4

12

CZECH REPUBLIC

Child Renewal

4

CZECH REPUBLIC

Adult FTA

3

CZECH REPUBLIC

Adult Renewal

1

DENMARK

Adult FTA

11

20

DENMARK

Child FTA

7

DENMARK

Child Renewal

2

DOMINICA

Child Renewal

1

1

EGYPT

Child Renewal

3

3

ESTONIA

Child Renewal

2

2

FINLAND

Adult FTA

5

10

FINLAND

Child Renewal

3

FINLAND

Child FTA

2

FRANCE

Adult FTA

114

236

FRANCE

Adult Renewal

10

FRANCE

Child Renewal

63

FRANCE

Child FTA

49

GERMANY

Child Renewal

43

131

GERMANY

Child FTA

23

GERMANY

Adult FTA

54

GERMANY

Adult Renewal

11

GHANA

Child Renewal

2

2

GIBRALTAR

Adult FTA

3

8

GIBRALTAR

Adult Renewal

1

GIBRALTAR

Child FTA

4

GREECE

Adult FTA

6

8

GREECE

Child FTA

1

GREECE

Child Renewal

1

GUERNSEY

Adult FTA

7

9

GUERNSEY

Adult Renewal

1

GUERNSEY

Child FTA

1

HONG KONG

Child Renewal

11

16

HONG KONG

Adult Renewal

5

HUNGARY

Child Renewal

3

6

HUNGARY

Child FTA

1

HUNGARY

Adult FTA

1

HUNGARY

Adult Renewal

1

ICELAND

Adult FTA

3

4

ICELAND

Child FTA

1

INDIA

Child Renewal

3

3

INDONESIA

Child Renewal

4

4

ISLE OF MAN

Adult FTA

16

23

ISLE OF MAN

Adult FTA

7

ISRAEL

Child Renewal

4

5

ISRAEL

Adult Renewal

1

ITALY

Adult FTA

16

32

ITALY

Adult Renewal

2

ITALY

Child FTA

9

ITALY

Child Renewal

5

JAPAN

Adult FTA

1

1

JORDAN

Child Renewal

4

4

KENYA

Adult Renewal

3

5

KENYA

Child Renewal

2

KUWAIT

Adult Renewal

1

2

KUWAIT

Child Renewal

1

KYRGYZSTAN

Child Renewal

1

1

LATVIA

Child Renewal

3

4

LATVIA

Adult FTA

1

LEBANON

Child Renewal

2

2

LITHUANIA

Child Renewal

6

9

LITHUANIA

Child FTA

2

LITHUANIA

Adult FTA

1

LUXEMBOURG

Child Renewal

6

12

LUXEMBOURG

Child FTA

3

LUXEMBOURG

Adult FTA

2

LUXEMBOURG

Adult Renewal

1

MACEDONIA

Child Renewal

1

1

MALAWI

Renewal

1

1

MALAYSIA

Child Renewal

2

2

MALTA

Child FTA

2

6

MALTA

Child Renewal

2

MALTA

Adult FTA

2

MEXICO

Child FTA

1

2

MEXICO

Child Renewal

1

MONGOLIA

Child Renewal

1

1

NAMIBIA

Child Renewal

3

3

NETHERLANDS

Child Renewal

30

91

NETHERLANDS

Child FTA

21

NETHERLANDS

Adult FTA

33

NETHERLANDS

Adult Renewal

7

NEW ZEALAND

Adult FTA

98

160

NEW ZEALAND

Adult Renewal

11

NEW ZEALAND

Child FTA

34

NEW ZEALAND

Child Renewal

17

NICARAGUA

Child Renewal

2

2

NIGERIA

Child Renewal

9

12

NIGERIA

Adult Renewal

2

NIGERIA

Adult FTA

1

NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

Adult FTA

1

1

NORWAY

Adult FTA

13

19

NORWAY

Adult Renewal

2

NORWAY

Child FTA

2

NORWAY

Child Renewal

2

OMAN

Child Renewal

1

1

PAKISTAN

Child Renewal

4

8

PAKISTAN

Adult Renewal

1

PANAMA

Child FTA

2

PANAMA

Child Renewal

1

PERU

Child FTA

1

2

PERU

Child Renewal

1

PHILIPPINES

Child Renewal

4

4

POLAND

Child Renewal

27

35

POLAND

Child FTA

5

POLAND

Adult FTA

2

POLAND

Adult Renewal

1

PORTUGAL

Adult FTA

12

26

PORTUGAL

Adult Renewal

3

PORTUGAL

Child Renewal

6

PORTUGAL

Child FTA

5

PUERTO RICO

Child Renewal

1

1

QATAR

Child Renewal

5

6

QATAR

Adult Renewal

1

ROMANIA

Child Renewal

7

12

ROMANIA

Child FTA

1

ROMANIA

Adult FTA

3

ROMANIA

Adult Renewal

1

RUSSIA

Child Renewal

4

6

RUSSIA

Adult FTA

1

RUSSIA

Adult Renewal

1

SAUDI ARABIA

Child Renewal

14

16

SAUDI ARABIA

Adult Renewal

2

SINGAPORE

Child Renewal

14

17

SINGAPORE

Child FTA

3

SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Child Renewal

3

4

SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Adult FTA

1

SLOVENIA

Adult FTA

1

1

SOMALIA

Child FTA

1

1

SOUTH AFRICA

Child Renewal

42

63

SOUTH AFRICA

Adult Renewal

21

SOUTH KOREA REPUBLIC OF KOREA

Adult Renewal

1

1

SPAIN

Adult FTA

87

174

SPAIN

Adult Renewal

14

SPAIN

Child Renewal

38

SPAIN

Child FTA

35

SWEDEN

Child FTA

14

28

SWEDEN

Child Renewal

2

SWEDEN

Adult FTA

11

SWEDEN

Adult Renewal

1

SWITZERLAND

Adult FTA

37

91

SWITZERLAND

Adult Renewal

10

SWITZERLAND

Child Renewal

23

SWITZERLAND

Child FTA

21

SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC

Child Renewal

2

2

TAIWAN, PROVINCE OF CHINA

Adult Renewal

1

1

THAILAND

Child Renewal

6

6

TOGO

Adult FTA

1

1

TURKEY

Adult FTA

2

6

TURKEY

Adult Renewal

1

TURKEY

Child Renewal

3

UKRAINE

Adult FTA

1

1

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Child Renewal

25

36

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Child FTA

1

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Adult Renewal

6

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Adult FTA

4

UNITED KINGDOM

Adult FTA

6,646

9,471

UNITED KINGDOM

Adult Renewal

447

UNITED KINGDOM

Child FTA

1,537

UNITED KINGDOM

Child Renewal

841

UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

Child Renewal

3

4

UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

Adult Renewal

1

UNITED STATES

Adult FTA

1,360

2,081

UNITED STATES

Adult Renewal

119

UNITED STATES

Child FTA

358

UNITED STATES

Child Renewal

244

VIETNAM

Child FTA

1

2

VIETNAM

Child Renewal

1

ZIMBABWE

Adult Renewal

2

5

ZIMBABWE

Adult FTA

1

ZIMBABWE

Child Renewal

2

14,655

Passport Services

Questions (366, 367)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

366. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide a schedule of the time backlog on all accepted first-time passport applications made in Ireland; and the additional resources he has and will provide to clear these backlogs. [6181/22]

View answer

Catherine Murphy

Question:

367. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide a schedule of the time backlog on all accepted passport renewal applications made in Ireland by post; and the additional resources he has and will provide to clear these backlogs. [6182/22]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 366 and 367 together.

The tables below outline the numbers of first time and renewal applications on hand with the Passport Service. Table 1 details the number of complete and incomplete online and postal first time applications that are with the Passport Service. Table 2 details the number of postal or Passport Express renewal applications. Both tables outline how many applications are complete and being processed by the Passport Service and how many are incomplete and require additional action by the applicant. This may include the submission of witnessed child identity and consent forms or documents such as birth certificates. These applications cannot be processed by the Passport Service until the required documents are received.

While there is a very high volume of applications in the system, this does not represent a backlog. In January the Passport Service received over 137,000 applications. Figures show that there are currently 76,000 (53%) applications that are fully complete and are being processed by the Passport Service. There are also 67,000 applications (47%) in the system which the Passport Service is waiting for the customer to complete the application.

The current passport processing times are:

- 10 working days for Simple Adult online renewals

- 15 working days for Complex or child online renewals

- 40 working days for First Time Applications on Passport Online

- 8 weeks for An Post’s mail-in “Passport Express” service

The Passport Service is facing its busiest year to date with an estimated 1.7 million passport applications expected. This volume of passport applications represents a significant increase from the previous high number of applications in 2019 when 935,000 passports were issued. My Department has been pro-actively planning to ensure the necessary resources are in place to meet this level of demand and is making an unprecedented investment in the Passport Service in terms of additional staff and improvements to the passport processing and customer service systems.

My Department is working with the Public Appointments Service on a major recruitment drive that has been underway for several months. Since June of 2021, over 300 members of staff at all grades have been assigned to the Passport Service. Additional staff are being assigned on a weekly basis with a goal of reaching staff numbers of 900 by the end of March. This represents a doubling of staff numbers over the course of 9 months.

The Passport Service is implementing a number of further measures that will positively impact the current turnaround times and improve customer service:

- Intensive training of new staff and upskilling of existing staff is underway to increase the resources that can process complex applications.

- The Passport Service is actively prioritising first time applications and directing increased resources to processing these complex applications with a view to reducing the current turnaround time.

- A new document management process is being put in place that allows for a much quicker turnaround time when an applicant is asked to submit additional documents. Once these documents are received, they will be prioritised and complete applications will be processed in 3 weeks. This will greatly reduce the waiting time for applicants who are missing documents in their initial application.

In the context of the National Development Plan, my Department is making a major investment in the future of the Passport Service. Over the next couple of years, we will replace the core technology underpinning the service, which will deliver efficiencies and a more resilient passport system. Budget 2022 also included an investment of an additional €10m in passport services in response to the increasing demand for passports both at home and abroad.

We are confident that the measures that have been implemented will help to reduce passport turnaround times in the course of 2022, particularly for first time applications, and will assist the Passport Service in meeting the high demand forecast for this year.

Table 1 - Domestic first time applications

Application Type

Online

Passport Express

Total Domestic First time applications

34,946

9,161

Incomplete domestic first time applications

16,431

2,673

Complete domestic first time applications

18,515

6,488

Table 2 - Domestic postal renewal (Passport Express) applications

Application Type

Number of applications

Complete Passport Express renewal applications

6,209

Incomplete Passport Express renewal applications

1,320

Question No. 367 answered with Question No. 366.
Question No. 368 answered with Question No. 365.

Passport Services

Questions (369)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

369. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department has procured new buildings to house the new Irish Consulate General Offices in Lyon, Miami and Toronto. [6222/22]

View answer

Written answers

The decision to open new Consulates General in Lyon, Miami and Toronto was taken as part of the Government's Global Ireland initiative to double the scope and impact of Ireland’s global footprint to 2025. The Consulates General are scheduled to open in late 2022. No Consulate premises or official accommodation have been procured to date. Such procurement will commence later this year and will be conducted in line with public procurement obligations.

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