Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2021
373. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the date on which the Passport Office will reopen at full capacity; the date on which the passport backlog is expected to be cleared; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23837/21]
View answer387. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to expedite the passport backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24246/21]
View answer398. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current wait time for a new passport application; the amount of outstanding applications and renewals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24413/21]
View answer411. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when passport applications received by the Passport Office prior to Covid-19 restrictions are due to be processed; when the Passport Office is due to reopen to the public under the roadmap for reopening society and business; the estimated date for the reopening of passport applications online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24679/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 373, 387, 398 and 411 together.
The Passport Service scaled up to more normal operational levels on 4 May 2021, in line with the phased easing of restrictions set out in “COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 – The Plan Ahead”.
Passport Online will continue to be the priority given the efficiencies that are in-built into the system for both the applicant and the Passport Service. The processing of an online application is four times as fast as a paper application. In addition, the use of Passport Online can facilitate social distancing, given that a renewal application for an adult does not require the signature of a witness.
Passport Online can be accessed by first time applicants, both children and adults, in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Europe, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. All Irish citizens, including children, can use the online system to renew their passports from anywhere in the world.
At present, there are approximately 99,000 Passport Online applications in the system. About 50% of these applications are domestic. The Passport Service has a great deal of experience in dealing with peaks in demand, and we are confident, taking into account measures to ensure a safe workplace, that any Passport Online backlog can be cleared in six to eight weeks.
The Passport Service plans to resume processing of paper based applications such as Foreign Birth Registration, Passport Express and Northern Ireland Passport Express once online applications have been processed.
The re-opening of the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork to the public is kept under regular review, with due consideration being given to public health protection measures.
