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Wednesday, 1 Jun 2022

Written Answers Nos. 121-140

Passport Services

Ceisteanna (121)

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

121. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a Passport Office will be established in the province of Ulster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28421/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Passport Service is a unified service composed of three constituent offices located in Lower Mount Street and Balbriggan in Dublin and South Mall in Cork, respectively. Passport applications from all citizens - whether at home or abroad - are distributed for processing across the three Passport Offices, on the basis of the type of application rather than the place of residence of the applicant.

Over 90% of all passport applications, including first time applications, are now being made through Passport Online and Passport Online is available to 97% of all applicants across the world. The Passport Service is committed to continuing to offer a range of application channels, including an offline service for citizens who are not eligible or do not wish to use the Passport Online service.

Passport Online is the priority channel for applications as there are many efficiencies built into the system for both the applicant and the Passport Service. The Passport Online service offers Irish citizens the ability to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is a user-friendly, efficient service that consistently offers processing times up to 4 times faster than paper-based passport renewal applications.

The paper-based, mail-in "Post Passport" service is available to citizens at almost 1,000 An Post post offices. A paper-based, mail-in service is also available at over 70 post office locations in Northern Ireland. The Passport Service continues to see a steady, but increasing demand for passports from citizens in Northern Ireland. With the availability of both Passport Online and the postal application channel, very few applicants are required to travel a significant distance in order to apply for their passport.

In the relatively small number of cases where citizens need to travel urgently and do not have a valid passport, the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork offer an Urgent Appointment service for passport renewal with a 1 or 4-day turnaround. The Passport Service offices in Dublin and Cork have processed over 5,000 Urgent Appointments to date in 2022. These Urgent Appointment applications represents just 0.9% of the total 540,000 applications received by the Passport Service since January of this year.

I am satisfied overall that the range of service options available meets the current needs of passport applicants and that recent service improvements allow the Passport Service to provide this essential citizen service in an efficient and effective manner. While there are no plans to open additional passport offices, the Passport Service will continue to consider ways in which to enhance customer experience for citizens.

Passport Services

Ceisteanna (122)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

122. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of staff who are operating the Houses of the Oireachtas passport helpline for elected members; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the number is constantly engaged; his views on whether it is acceptable for elected representatives and their office staff to be expected to make up to 20 queries per day relating to passports (details supplied); if he will ensure that elected members and their staff are not held responsible for failings at the Passport Office with members of the public where he has overall Ministerial responsibility; if he will issue a public announcement to this effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28442/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

In October 2021, the Passport Service established a temporary phone line to respond to Oireachtas Members' queries on urgent passport cases.

I appreciate that it can, on occasion, be challenging for Members of the Oireachtas and their staff to access the Oireachtas line given the volume queries that the team are currently handling. Staff on the Oireachtas Line continue to work productively under increasing pressure. They are dealing with record numbers of calls and queries every week and have handled over 12,200 queries from Members since the beginning of this year. Passport Service staff on the Oireachtas Line receive comprehensive general Passport Service training, as well as customer service training.

I am aware that many Deputies are receiving a large number of passport queries from constituents due to the continued high demand for passports. Since last week, the number of staff on the Oireachtas Urgent Query Service team has increased from seven to eleven full time staff. As of last week, up to 20 queries per week from each Oireachtas Member can be facilitated by this team.

In each case raised by an Oireachtas Member, the Passport Service reviews the application in question. However, applications can only be expedited in cases of genuine emergency such as a need for urgent medical treatment overseas or the death of a family member abroad. Such applications are expedited through the Travel Emergency service.

In cases where the estimated issue-by date has passed and all required supporting documents have been submitted, the Passport Service will prioritise the application to ensure that no further delay is experienced.

Non-urgent cases should continue to be dealt with through the existing phone lines and web chat facilities.  Passport applications, that are being processed in line with their turnaround times cannot be expedited.  Where the estimated issue by date has been exceeded this will result in a query being raised internally in the Passport Service. The Passport Service will work to issue a passport or respond to a request for further information to the customer within two working days.

While Deputies often hear of the most complex and pressing cases, the overwhelming majority of passport applicants have their passport processed without any recourse to their local TD. 

The Passport Service is already out-performing any previous year, despite the challenges that it has encountered over the past two years. In 2019, which was the busiest year for passports pre-Covid, the Passport Service had issued 470,000 passports by the end of May. In the same time period this year, over 540,000 passports have been issued. In 2021, 634,000 passports were issued in the whole year. In five months the Passport Service has issued over 80% of the total number of passports that were issued in the whole of last year.

Passport applicants can track the status of their passport application online via the Passport Tracker which is available on my Department's website - www.dfa.ie/passporttracking/. The information on the tracker has recently been upgraded, and is an excellent guide as to where an application is in the system.

I would ask Oireachtas colleagues to ensure that their constituents are aware of the processing times outlined below and encourage them to apply online well in advance of any planned travel. 

The current processing times for passport applications are:

- 10 working days for Simple Adult online renewals

- 15 working days for Complex or child online renewals

- 30 working days for First Time Applications on Passport Online (applications received from 19 April)

- 8 weeks for An Post’s mail-in “Post Passport" service

Question No. 123 answered with Question No. 119.

European Union

Ceisteanna (124)

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

124. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has had any recent discussions with his counterparts in the European Union Foreign Affairs Council and with the European Union Commission in relation to the need to progress Ukraine’s European Union membership application to candidate status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28451/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The EU has been united in providing support to Ukraine in its struggle as a consequence of Russia's unjustified and illegal further invasion since 24 February.

On 28 February, President Zelenskyy of Ukraine submitted a letter to the Presidency formally applying for membership of the European Union, in accordance with Article 49 of the Treaty.  In light of the grave situation facing Ukraine, President Zelenskyy has requested that the application be treated under ‘a special procedure’. 

Ireland fully supports Ukraine's application for EU Membership. EU leaders have acted swiftly in inviting the European Commission to submit its opinion on Ukraine's application to become a member. We recognise the transformative value of enlargement as a promoter of stability, peace and economic development and want to extend that opportunity to all those who aspire and fulfil the criteria.

The EU membership process has legalities and benchmarks which need to be met. We should not forget that there are other countries pursuing this process. That needs to be managed sensitively. However, we all recognise that the Ukrainian people are upholding the fundamental values at the heart of the European Union, in many cases with their own lives.

We are currently awaiting the European Commission's Opinion on the application of Ukraine for membership which is expected by mid-June.  It will be important to have a swift but thorough consideration of that opinion; Ireland will continue to stress the importance of this and will ensure full and rapid consideration of the Commission's opinion at national level.

It will then be for the European Council to consider the Commission's Opinion and to decide whether to grant candidate status or possibly potential candidate status which would be subject to completion of certain conditions on the part of the applicant. Ireland will continue to engage fully in discussions with EU partners, at all levels, in the coming weeks, as the consideration of Ukraine's application is underway. 

Question No. 125 answered with Question No. 119.
Question No. 126 answered with Question No. 100.

Foreign Birth Registration

Ceisteanna (127)

Michael Lowry

Ceist:

127. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when foreign birth registrations will be processed for persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28502/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended.

The processing of Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) has resumed and will be gradually scaling up in line with the recruitment of additional resources. Due to the complex nature of the FBR process, the large increase in applications received following the Brexit vote in the UK, and the pause in the Service due to necessary Covid-19 restrictions, applicants should allow approximately 26 months from the receipt of supporting documentation for processing of FBR applications at this time. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, and the subsequent reassignment of FBR staff to assist in the provision of essential passport services, the Foreign Birth Registration Service was paused for nearly 15 months across the 2020-2021 period.

The applications referenced were registered on 5 March 2020, and are due to be processed in the near future. A member of the FBR team will be in direct contact with the applicants in this regard.

FBR staff continue to provide an emergency service for Foreign Birth Registration in cases of exceptional urgency, such as expectant parents, or stateless persons. Such applicants may continue to contact the Passport Service directly. For other applications, the FBR service operates a transparent general policy of processing applications in order of receipt.

My Department is fully committed to the continued allocation of additional resources over the coming period to assist with the processing of the Foreign Birth Registration applications currently on hand and the high volume of new applications anticipated this year.

Foreign Birth Registration

Ceisteanna (128, 129)

Michael Lowry

Ceist:

128. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current average processing times for applications submitted to the foreign birth register; the average processing time for applications submitted in March 2020; when he expects that these applications will be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28503/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Michael Lowry

Ceist:

129. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of processing the backlog of applications to the foreign birth registry that were paused during Covid-19 restrictions; the steps that are being taken to address the backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28504/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 129 together.

My Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended.

The processing of Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) has resumed and will be gradually scaling up in line with the recruitment of additional resources.

There are currently 37,000 Foreign Birth Registration applications on hand with the Passport Service. To date this year, the Passport Service has processed over 5,000 Foreign Birth Registration applications.

Applications submitted in March 2020 are being stored in a secure environment and are due to be processed in the near future.

Due to the complex nature of the FBR process, the large increase in applications received following the Brexit vote in the UK, and the pause in the Service due to necessary Covid-19 restrictions, applicants should allow 26 months from the receipt of supporting documentation for processing of FBR applications at this time. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, and the subsequent reassignment of FBR staff to assist in the provision of essential passport services, the Foreign Birth Registration Service was paused for nearly 15 months across the 2020-2021 period.

FBR staff continue to provide an emergency service for Foreign Birth Registration in cases of exceptional urgency, such as expectant parents, or stateless persons. Such applicants may continue to contact the Passport Service directly. For other applications, the FBR service operates a transparent general policy of processing applications in order of receipt.

My Department is fully committed to the continued allocation of additional resources over the coming period to assist with the processing of the Foreign Birth Registration applications currently on hand and the high volume of new applications anticipated this year.

The Passport Service is taking a number steps to deal with increased demand on its services:

- The Passport Service has a comprehensive plan to ensure that adequate staff, accommodation and technology supports are in place to meet expected demand for passports in 2022.

- A major recruitment drive has been underway over the past several months, which has seen the number of Passport Service staff increase by over 340 since June 2021.

- The Passport Service is currently running its own recruitment competition for Temporary Clerical Officers. This recruitment effort will bring staffing numbers to over 900, which represents a doubling of staff compared to June 2021.

- Intensive training of new staff and upskilling of existing staff is underway to increase the resources that can process complex applications.

I am confident that the measures that have been implemented will help to reduce Foreign Birth Registration turnaround times in the course of 2022 and will assist the Passport Service in meeting the high demand forecast for this year.

Question No. 129 answered with Question No. 128.

Passport Services

Ceisteanna (130)

Christopher O'Sullivan

Ceist:

130. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will inquire into the UK passport of a person (details supplied) that was mislaid during a recent passport application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28511/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired the Passport Service has reviewed the case and contacted the applicant's parent. 

Question No. 131 answered with Question No. 99.
Question No. 132 answered with Question No. 100.
Question No. 133 answered with Question No. 100.
Question No. 134 answered with Question No. 119.
Question No. 135 answered with Question No. 119.
Question No. 136 answered with Question No. 99.
Question No. 137 answered with Question No. 119.
Question No. 138 answered with Question No. 119.
Question No. 139 answered with Question No. 99.

Ukraine War

Ceisteanna (140)

Catherine Connolly

Ceist:

140. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Defence if he will report on the meeting of 23 May 2022 of the Ukraine Contact Group; the person who represented Ireland at the meeting; the number of meetings of this group which have been attended by Ireland to-date; the dates of same; if minutes are taken in respect of the meetings of the group; if so, if they were published; if he will provide details of Ireland’s role in the group; the details of the decision taken regarding the participation of Ireland in this group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28191/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Following a conference at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on 26 April, organised by the United States to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine, particularly Ukrainian defence capabilities, as well as pledge and coordinate further support to Ukraine, Ireland was invited to join the newly-formed Ukraine Defence Contact Group.

A meeting of the Group took place on 23 May and Ireland was represented at senior official level from the Department of Defence and at senior military level by the Defence Forces. This was Ireland's first time to attend a meeting of this Group which provides a forum to discuss the response of the international community to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ireland has already provided military equipment in the form of body armour and ready-to-eat meals to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and has committed to contribute a further €44 million through the European Peace Facility.

44 countries, including almost all NATO and EU Member States as well as a number of African and Asian countries participated in the meeting. There is no published official record of the meeting meeting of 23 May. 

It is considered useful for Ireland to avail of all appropriate opportunities for high-level and diplomatic engagement on issues relating to Ukraine, particularly as regards the long-term perspectives for the conflict, the potential scenarios ahead, including any eventual pathway to a negotiated solution, as well as the wider transformation of the European security landscape.

The next meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group will take place in Brussels on 15 June and it is expected that Ireland will be represented once again at senior official and Defence Force level.

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