Vol. 493 No. 5
96 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has satisfied himself that the passport officer's have sufficient staff and supports to ensure no delays in the issuing of passports particularly at this time of year when there is high demand and urgency in some cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16601/98]
The reliability and efficiency of the passport service has been greatly improved in recent years and there are now no delays. The Passport Offices in Cork and Dublin are committed to issuing passports within ten working days in response to properly completed applications presented either in person or through the Passport Express postal service. Despite the continuing significant increase in demand for passports, by employing additional temporary clerical staff and working overtime during the busy summer months the two Passport Offices are continuing to meet this commitment. About 90 per cent of all applications, including those sent in by the ordinary post, are dealt with within ten days. The least urgent 10 per cent or so of applications are attended to within five weeks unless the applicants contact the Passport Offices and ask that their passports be issued earlier. Every effort is made to facilitate people in genuine emergencies.
I am satisfied that the resources available to the Passport Offices are sufficient to enable them to maintain a high quality service. Staffing levels are constantly monitored and the feasibility of moving to a fully automated processing system is being examined.
