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Passport Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 January 2021

Wednesday, 27 January 2021

Questions (404)

Cormac Devlin

Question:

404. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to improve public health infrastructure at the passport office to allow a limited resumption of services given Covid-19 levels and the prospect of an extended period of restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4229/21]

View answer

Written answers

The Passport Service continues to provide a high quality essential service in line with Government measures to reduce social contact and combat the spread of COVID-19.

While the Passport Service has paused processing of routine applications while Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19, they continue to provide an emergency passport service for Irish citizens at home and abroad. The service is available for those who are required to travel due to the death or serious illness of a family member or because the applicant requires emergency medical treatment. In addition, we provide an urgent service to citizens who are resident abroad who require a valid passport for visa purposes or citizens who require a renewal for work purposes.

The Passport Service has a comprehensive plan in place to provide a safe place of work at all Levels of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. At Level 5, in line with Government guidance that only essential work should take place, the Passport Service provides and emergency and urgent service. At Level 4, the Passport Service will resume processing Passport Online applications with staff assigned into two teams and working at a strict social distance to ensure sufficient resilience to deliver the service. At Level 3, all staff are required to work at a strict social distance and the processing of paper based applications and Foreign Birth Registrations which require greater interaction between staff resume. At Level 1, the public counter of the Passport Service will re-open.

The Passport Online system has improved the ability of the Passport Service to process applications more efficiently. When the service resumed operations in June 2020, the backlog for Passport Online applications was cleared in 4 weeks. Between 1 December and 23 December, all Passport Online simple renewal applications were processed and most complex renewals were processed. First time applications are more complex and take more time to process.

There are no further measures required to improve the public health infrastructure within the Passport Service. Similar to all work places, social distancing is required so this limits the occupation of buildings but my Department has been working closely with the Office of Public Works on this matter.

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