Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Nugent's submission. I have read it and it is very clear and paints a positive picture of the Passport Office, which I am glad to obtain because I have been a critic of it in the past, particularly of what went on at one stage during a campaign against Government policy. It is good to see what Mr. Nugent has here. I have some questions. First, I understand there was an operating surplus for 2012 of €6.55 million. Could Mr. Nugent tell us the total revenue and expenditure of the Passport Office? The cost of producing a passport is €52.64 and the average revenue is €63. That €63 struck me as low. Could Mr. Nugent explain it? There is an €80 fee for Passport Express, while other fees are €93. Maybe it is because 40% of applicants are children and there is a lower fee for them. Could Mr. Nugent clarify that?

My second question is on the numbers employed. Mr. Nugent said that in 1995 250,000 passports were issued, that doubled over the next five years and it is now 631,000. It seems high considering our population level. Maybe there was a rush and it is a blip, I do not know. Could Mr. Nugent tell us how the numbers went? He said he has 10% fewer staff in recent years. Could he please tell us the staff numbers between 1995, 2000 and the present, if he has that?

I appreciate that Mr. Nugent might not have that information today.

It is very interesting that the passport is now being used as a national identity. I was recently in a country where it was a prerequisite to present a passport in order to get a ballot paper when voting.

I welcome that overtime has been reduced by 90% since 2009 even though demand has increased. How was this achieved? Is it a product of better controls within the Passport Service? Is there a lesson there for the rest of the public service where there is an issue regarding the overall cost of overtime. Some people attribute it to a lack of good management within certain sectors. The overtime reduction is an indication that things may have significantly improved.

I welcome the flexibility the Passport Service has shown in dealing with demand by recruiting temporary staff. Has any consideration been given to contracting out the service particularly in the peak period leading up to the summer? If so what was the result of any assessment in that regard? Could any savings be effected by doing so?

Regarding passports for children, I note Mr. Nugent's comments on the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004. I fully appreciate the safeguards that are required. He said that it is more complicated as a result of the provisions of the Act, which might be necessary. From his experience, would Mr. Nugent like to see changes in any aspect of that legislation in order to simplify the passport application process without in any way diminishing the very safeguards that need to be in place in order to protect children? In replying, Mr. Nugent might outline what some of those safeguards are.

I join the Chairman in welcoming the guaranteed appointment times for people travelling to the Passport Office. It shows customer-service awareness on the office's part, which is good.

Regarding the backlog that builds up at certain times of the year, is there any advertising campaign in order to encourage people to spread their passport applications more evenly across the year. That would have the benefit of bringing in additional revenue from people who have not thought about getting a passport and might do so as a matter of practice. It might also even out the workload, which would benefit the Passport Service.

Mr. Nugent has invited us to give comments on the emergency passport facility, which is a very good facility. The Chairman has also commented on it. Apart from emergencies for bereavement or whatever, there are cases where a businessperson needs a passport urgently or perhaps a person might have flights booked and for whatever reason cannot find his or her passport. That was something one could tap into from the Oireachtas. On one occasion somebody rang me on a Saturday night and by 7 a.m. on Sunday that person had a passport, which was an exceptional service. In the past Oireachtas Members had access to fast-tracking in cases such as the one I mentioned, a facility which I believe no longer exists. That was changed a number of years ago and I believe it is a mistake. The public have a right to look to people, who are elected to Parliament, to resolve difficulties and we should have the capacity to do that.