Danny Healy-Rae
Question:270. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a passport application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34359/21]
View answerDáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 June 2021
270. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a passport application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34359/21]
View answer271. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport will be issued to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34426/21]
View answer280. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport will issue to a person (details supplied) considering the close proximity of travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34554/21]
View answer281. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport will issue to a person (details supplied) considering the close proximity of travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34555/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 270, 271, 280 and 281 together.
The Passport Service has been in direct contact with the people referred to in the Deputies' questions.
The Passport Service commenced the scaling up of operations on 4 May 2021 in line with the phased easing of restrictions set out in “COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 – The Plan Ahead”.
The Service has been focused since then on four priority areas.
- Clearing the COVID-19 backlog of 89,000 passport applications.
- Processing all adult renewal applications (including new applications) within 10 working days.
- Processing urgent and emergency applications.
- Providing of customer services through phone and WebChat.
From 1 July the Passport Service will commence the processing of all other applications received since 4 May focusing initially on child renewal applications and then first time applicants.
In the event that any applicant has urgent or emergency reasons for requiring a passport, they should contact the Passport Service’s Customer Service Hub, by phone or WebChat, to make the Passport Service aware of their situation.