Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 May 2022
89. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide the Eircode associated with the Passport Office building in Balbriggan, County Dublin; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that persons cannot avail of the same day delivery service provided by An Post in order to supply the Passport Office with requested documentation. [24983/22]
View answerThe Passport Service is currently receiving an average of 3,000 pieces of post per day. Due to the volume of post received and the personal data that may be enclosed, the Passport Service employs a tracking system to ensure that each piece of post is accounted for once it is received.
For applicants who apply through An Post's mail-in Passport Express channel and whose applications are incomplete and require further documentation, the Passport Service writes to the applicant. The Passport Services advises them of the action required and provides a pre-paid return-addressed envelope that will be delivered to the Passport Service on the day after the applicant posts it.
For applicants who apply online and whose applications are incomplete, the Passport Service emails the applicant to advise of them of the action that is required and includes a pre-paid address label with a barcode that can be affixed to the envelope and will be delivered to the Passport Service on the day after the applicant posts it.
The methods outlined above ensure that all post received by the Passport Service can be tracked internally once it is delivered, which is vitally important for the smooth running of the system and to protect applicants' personal data. This service is not currently available through An Post's same day delivery service, which operates within a limited area in Dublin only.
The Passport Service has public offices in Dublin and Cork. These offices offer an Urgent Appointment service for applicants who wish to renew their passports within one or four days in Dublin or within four days in Cork. This is an appointment-only service and appointments can be booked at www.dfa.ie/passports/urgentappointments/. Due to the importance of tracking post, these public offices cannot accept documentation from applicants for an application that is already in the system.
The addresses of these offices are as follows:
Passport Office - Dublin, Knockmaun House, 42-27 Mount St Lwr, Dublin 2, D02 TN83
Passport Office - Cork, 1 South Mall, Centre, Cork, T12 CCN3
The Passport Office in Balbriggan is not a public office and the Passport Service does not advise that applicants visit the office or submit requested documentation through any other method than those outlined above.
The Passport Service will continue to work with An Post to consider ways in which to enhance customer experience and service.
