Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
339. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the turnaround times for first time passport applications; the steps taken to reduce these turnaround times; if there has been additional staff allocated to first time applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47846/21]
View answerThe current Passport processing turnaround times for all passports are:
- 10 working days for Simple Adult renewals,
- 15 working days for Complex renewals,
- 40 working days for First Time applications on Passport Online and
- 8 weeks for Passport Express.
Over 450,000 passports and passport cards have been issued to date in 2021. Almost 45% of passports for simple adult renewals continue to issue within one business day.
The Passport Service is currently experiencing a high demand for first time passports. Of the 130,000 applications currently on hand, approximately 60% are first time applications. In order to protect the integrity of the Irish passport, such applications require careful processing to validate the identity of the applicant and their entitlement to Irish citizenship for the first time. Additionally, in the case of children, consent of all guardians must be validated.
The Passport Service continually examines how to improve processing times, including examining the processes around the verification and processing of the supporting documentation for first time applicants.
Currently, 99% of the Passport Service staff involved in customer service and the production of passports are working on site. Adequate staffing of the Passport Service to respond to demand remains a priority for my Department and is an issue that is kept under constant review. My Department is working closely with the Public Appointments Service to recruit additional staff to meet the current and forecasted demand for passports in the coming period. The Public Appointments Service has recently assigned Temporary Clerical Officers to augment the Passport Service and more will be assigned in the coming weeks to the offices in Dublin and Cork in line with the planned relaxation of social distancing measures. The Passport Service expects to see a reduction in passport processing times once additional staff have been assigned and trained.
