Passport Office to accompany Department of Foreign Affairs at PAC meeting tomorrow

The agenda for the meeting is as follows:

•    C&AG Report 2016 Chapter 14: Control of Ireland’s Bilateral Assistance Programme
•    Appropriation Accounts 2016 Vote 27: International Cooperation
•    Appropriation Accounts 2016 Vote 28: Foreign Affairs and Trade Officials from Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Speaking ahead of the meeting, PAC Chair, Seán Fleming TD, said, “The Committee will be keen to discuss passport and visa consular fees, which make up the bulk of receipts. In 2016 passport application fee income amounted to €46.7m. The PAC will be examining the management and efficiency of the Passport Office, as well as processing times for passport applications. The committee will be interested to see if the Passport Office is meeting its own targets in respect of processing times.”

Ireland’s aid programme will also be on the agenda. In 2016, Irish official development assistance totalled €724 million. Tomorrow the PAC will question the Department of Foreign Affairs on the control systems it has in place in order to ensure that once that money leaves Ireland, it is not subject to fraud and corruption.”

The meeting will start at 9am in Committee Room 3, Leinster House.

Committee proceedings can be viewed live here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.