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Passport Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021

Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Questions (425)

Ivana Bacik

Question:

425. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if there is a system of prioritisation in place for the processing of passport applications and renewals; if so, if he will provide details of the criteria used to prioritise applications; if it is policy that applicants who are waiting the longest should receive absolute priority over others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52558/21]

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Written answers

The Passport Service of my Department is one unified service composed of three constituent offices located in Lower Mount Street and Balbriggan in Dublin and South Mall in Cork. Passport applications from citizens residing in Ireland or elsewhere in the world are distributed for processing across the three Passport Offices. All passport applications are processed through the centralised Automated Passport System(APS) which operates on the basis of application type and date of receipt of an application to ensure all applicants, regardless of where in the world they reside, receive the same service.

The current Passport processing times 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 An Post's mail-in "Passport Express" service.

Almost 45% of passports for simple adult renewals continue to issue within one business day while more complex applications take longer.

The Passport Service is currently experiencing a high demand for first time passports. These first time applications do take longer to process than a renewal application. In order to protect the integrity of the Irish passport, first time 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, the consent of guardians must be validated.

The Passport Service also provides an emergency service for those who require a passport for a medical emergency or death of a family member abroad. Citizens who require a passport in an emergency situation should contact the Passport Service Customer Hub on 01.671.1633 or via Webchat on the Department's website (www.dfa.ie/passports).

In line with the continued scaling up of services, the Passport Office in Mount Street, Dublin 2 and the Passport Office in Cork are now offering an Urgent Appointment Service for the renewal of passports. This service is available to people who require passport renewal at short notice and opt for this fee-based service to do so. To avail of this service and book an appointment, members of the public can visit the Department’s website (www.dfa.ie/passports).

In the context of the National Development Plan, my Department is making a major investment in the future of the Passport Service. Budget 2022 included an investment of an additional €10m for the Passport Service in response to the increasing demand for passports at home and abroad. Over the next couple of years, we will replace the core technology underpinning the service, which will deliver efficiencies and a more resilient passport system.

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