Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have two questions on subhead B. Would it be possible at some stage to communicate to Members of both Houses the comparative costs of passports in other European countries, specifically the 28 EU countries? Is the figure an arbitrary one that cannot be compared? There is no Aldi or Lidl version, so we do not know whether our passport fee is good value for money.

I record my appreciation of the fantastic service provided by Irish consulates and embassies. Irish people get themselves into crazy and, in some cases, very difficult situations by forgetting basic items of equipment. They would not forget these items if they were going to Croke Park or Lansdowne Road, yet they seem to expect to be able to fly to the far end of the world and assume things will be the same as they are at home. This is not the glamour end of the foreign service, but from a human point of view and in terms of contact with Irish citizens, it is crucially important. I wish for my appreciation to be conveyed to the staff involved.