Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Grealish for his remarks. I concur with him on the level of efficiency and professionalism among the staff of the Passport Office in cases where, for example, someone is under pressure to obtain a passport in order to travel to a job interview or to university or for more personal or challenging reasons relating to a bereavement. I agree with the Deputy not just on the level of efficiency of the staff but also in the context of the empathy they show.

The Deputy will be aware that a major part of the passport process happens in his county at HID Global. I had the opportunity to visit that company's plant in the Gaeltacht community and it has been providing the physical product. Deputy Grealish was being very modest by not mentioning the company in question. I appreciate that.