Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 July 2013
137. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will revisit the old system of supporting Deputies helping their constituents in their passport applications in cases of emergency; if he will advise on how best to handle passport applications relating to funerals, a family illness abroad, weddings, lost passports abroad and so on under the current system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34176/13]
View answerThe Department advises people resident on the island of Ireland to apply for their passports through the Passport Express service. However the Department recognises that passport applicants may on occasion require a faster turnaround service. Priority at public counters in Dublin and Cork is given to those travelling at short notice where the fastest turnaround time for these applications is three working days. Appointments for Molesworth Street can be made at www.passportappointments.ie. Additionally an emergency same day service is also provided for those whose travel plans are necessitated by an emergency such as the death or illness of a family member. Applicants in such situations should contact the Molesworth Street or Cork public offices or the out of hours duty officer service, where, on provision of proofs of the emergency situation as detailed above, a passport will issue. The Passport Service endeavours to provide all citizens with the best possible service consistent with resource constraints. The Passport Express arrangement, which involves an element of pre-checking, is the most efficient means of achieving this. Dealing with individual applications on an exceptional basis inevitably involves a diversion of resources which results in a delay in the processing of other applications. The facility whereby applications for passports could be submitted through Members of the Oireachtas and accorded priority treatment was discontinued in 2010 and I have no plans for its reintroduction.
