Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2016
427. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to reinstate the entitlement to free passports for senior citizens that was withdrawn in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21133/16]
View answerA decision was taken in the 2005 budget to exempt applicants aged 65 and over from the passport fee. In 2011 the Government decided in light of the budgetary situation to discontinue the exemption and to apply the same ten-year passport fee to all applicants aged 18 years or over.
The annualised fee for a standard ten year Irish passport compares favourably with many other jurisdictions. At €8 per year, the Irish passport fee compares with approximately €9.60 for a French passport, €9.40 per year for a British passport, €9.90 per year for an American passport and €16.70 per year for an Australian passport.
Given that the shortfall in revenue would have to be met by the taxpayer I do not have any plans at this time to reduce the fee charged to older applicants.
