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Passport Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021

Tuesday, 27 July 2021

Questions (804, 806, 815, 835, 836, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 852, 857, 876)

Denise Mitchell

Question:

804. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passport applications currently delayed due to Covid-19 restrictions; when the backlog will be cleared; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39094/21]

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Seán Crowe

Question:

806. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when he plans for the Passport Office to reopen. [39145/21]

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Bríd Smith

Question:

815. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the timeframe for all backlogged applications for passports to be cleared; the emergency procedures in place for persons who must undertake travel to other countries but are affected by the current delays in passport application processing and by the delays in the registration of births as a result of the cyberattack; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39400/21]

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Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

835. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of the current reopening of the Passport Office; the number of applications and renewals outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39838/21]

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Chris Andrews

Question:

836. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passport applications currently waiting to be processed; the number that are overdue; the number that would need to be done on a weekly basis to get on top of the backlog; and the resources that were allocated to the passport office to get through the backlog. [39857/21]

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John Brady

Question:

846. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of standard passport applications and renewals that have been processed to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40232/21]

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John Brady

Question:

847. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of standard passport applications and renewals that are currently awaiting processing to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40233/21]

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John Brady

Question:

848. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of standard passport applications that are awaiting processing to date in 2021, by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40234/21]

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John Brady

Question:

849. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current turnaround times for new passport applications and passport renewals broken down by online and paper applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40235/21]

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John Brady

Question:

850. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the passport office in Dublin will be reopening for appointments for the rapid renewal passport service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40236/21]

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Michael McNamara

Question:

852. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when both the Cork and Dublin passport offices will reopen to the public given that international travel has resumed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40303/21]

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Pa Daly

Question:

857. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the passport offices will reopen. [40592/21]

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Ruairí Ó Murchú

Question:

876. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current passport office backlog of passport applications; his plans to address these delays specifically in relation to expediting child passport applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41020/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 804, 806, 815, 835, 836, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 852, 857 and 876 together.

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 customer services through our telephone and WebChat team.

Very substantial progress has been made in clearing the COVID-19 backlog: all backlog applications which were completed properly have been processed and related passports issued. As regards incomplete COVID-19 backlog applications, the Passport Service has been in contact with the applicants regarding the need to send in outstanding documents. Once all outstanding required documentation is received, issuance of passports will be expedited.

The Passport Service has issued approximately 375,000 passports to date in 2021.

The number of applications in the system currently stands at approximately 112,000 book and card applications. The applications can be split as incomplete applications standing at 50,000 (where the Passport Service is awaiting further documentation), with 62,000 applications with the Passport Service. These figures are accurate to 22 July 2021.

The approximate number of online applications per county under process currently in the system is set out in the table below.

County

Applications

ANTRIM

4,878

ARMAGH

1,036

CARLOW

495

CAVAN

592

CLARE

910

CORK

4,596

DERRY

1,495

DONEGAL

1,176

DOWN

3,322

DUBLIN

15,250

FERMANAGH

365

GALWAY

2,268

KERRY

1,122

KILDARE

2,393

KILKENNY

727

LAOIS

691

LEITRIM

234

LIMERICK

1,707

LONGFORD

365

LOUTH

1,294

MAYO

963

MEATH

2,058

MONAGHAN

419

OFFALY

549

ROSCOMMON

465

SLIGO

489

TIPPERARY

1,212

TYRONE

1,186

WATERFORD

955

WESTMEATH

685

WEXFORD

1,193

WICKLOW

1,432

These figures are correct to 22 July 2021.

The average possessing time or wait time for a new passport varies depending on a number of key factors including;

- The nature of the application - first time application or a renewal of existing.

- Whether a passport is for a minor or an adult.

- If the application is completed correctly and supported by all necessary documentation in the first instance.

- If the photograph supplied by the applicant met the criteria as described in detail on the application website.

The onus is on the applicant to provide documentation demonstrating their entitlement to an Irish passport. Birth Certificates which are issued by the General Register Office (GRO) must be submitted in support of a passport application to prove this entitlement. Neither Baptismal Certificates nor any other non-civil form of documentation can be considered in support of a first time passport application.

With regard to Passport Online applications, the average time currently for simple adult renewals is 10 working days; complex renewals, including children, is 15 working days and 40 working days for first time applicants.

Passport Express resumed processing on 19 July. The current estimated turnaround time for these applications is eight weeks.

Passport Online will continue to be the priority channel 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 up to 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.

The Public Offices in Dublin and Cork are closed at the moment. This is to allow all of our staff work on processing passport applications. Customers should not attend our public offices as they will not be able to speak to a member of staff or submit documents.

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

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