Bernard Allen
Question:94 Mr. Allen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will waive the fee for passports for elderly people and the unemployed. [164/94]
Written Answers. - Passport Fee.
As far as is practicable, the passport fee structure is designed to accommodate potential hardship cases. Since September 1992 there has been a concession to people over 65 years of age who, instead of paying £45 for a standard ten-year passport, may instead obtain a passport valid for three years for £10.
The exemption of unemployed persons from passport fees would be problematic in terms of revenue loss and also in terms of the comparative position between the unemployed and low paid workers. For those to whom the £45 fee represents a significant burden, I would point out that the low season cost reduction, under which persons applying during the months of October and November can obtain a full ten-year passport for £35, is currently in operation.
While trying to accommodate situations of potential hardship, it is generally desirable for administrative purposes to standardise fee levels as far as possible and not to introduce too many exceptions to the regular fee.