Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Mar 1999

Vol. 501 No. 3

Written Answers. - Passports Cost.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

154 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has received representations from the Federation of Irish Societies to reduce the cost of Irish passports in view of the fact that that a person entitled to get an Irish passport in the United Kingdom has to pay £40 where the equivalent United Kingdom passport is £21 which is a financial disincentive for Irish people who wish to assert continuation of their own Irish identity within the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6083/99]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

Given that the fee for a British passport is significantly less than that for an Irish passport, the Federation of Irish Societies in Britain regularly asks us to reduce the Irish fee on the grounds that it is a disincentive for Irish citizens who are also British citizens from applying for Irish passports.

The position of successive Ministers for Foreign Affairs is that it would be inequitable for Irish citizens at home to have to pay higher fees for passports than Irish citizens in Britain or any other foreign country. Such a concession would also mean a significant loss of revenue to the Exchequer.

Passport fees are set independently by EU countries. Our fee of IR£45 (Stg.£40) is about the average of passport fees of the EU countries while the fee for a British passport is among the lowest.