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Passport Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 January 2018

Thursday, 25 January 2018

Ceisteanna (37)

Aindrias Moynihan

Ceist:

37. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the efficiency of the passport service following the removal of the passport express service from the Cork passport office; if he will publish the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3648/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Passport Service located in my Department is one unified service composed of 3 constituent offices in Dublin (Balbriggan and Mount Street) and Cork. Occasionally work is redistributed between these 3 offices, on the basis of demand and availability of resources. The distribution of work across the 3 passport offices does not impact on members of the public or in any way or limit the options available to the public in terms of passport application channels. Under the current distribution of tasks across the Service, all Passport Express applications are now processed in the Balbriggan office, while the Cork office processes applications from Northern Ireland and Great Britain, as well as applications submitted at Ireland’s network of Embassies and Consulates worldwide. Online passport renewal applications are processed in the Mount Street office. The Mount Street and Cork public offices also continue to accept applications from all categories of applicants, by appointment, at the public counter and, where appropriate, facilitate the issuance of emergency passports. The Online Passport Renewal Service is available for adult Irish citizens renewing their passport and is available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week from anywhere in the world. The target turnaround time for Online Passport Renewal applications is 10 days plus postage – online applications are currently being processed and completed well below this deadline.

The Passport Service aims to process applications for renewal of passports submitted via Passport Express within 15 working days. The current turnaround times for both renewal and first time applications submitted through Passport Express is within our target timeframe at 15 working days.

Other categories of applications take longer to process, due to additional checks and/or additional time in transit, such as first time applicants, those applying via overseas Embassies and Consulates as well as those with lost/stolen passports.

The Passport Service monitors demand and resources on an ongoing basis and continues to takes all possible steps to ensure an effective service to the public.

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