Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

First of all, I will start by wishing Niall well. Forgive me, if I refer to you in an informal manner. I am a former Minister of State in that Department and I have worked with you in the past. We have all been tremendously impressed by the leadership that you have given in such challenging times. I note that you said you were retiring, but you are stepping down as Secretary General. We hope that you will stay within the service in some way, shape or fashion. Personally, I wish you well.

It is important that we acknowledge the role of the Department of Foreign Affairs, both for the work that it does at the bilateral level in terms of its bilateral relations with countries throughout the globe and also at the multilateral level where it deals with the United Nations and other such organisations. We are lucky to have a Department of Foreign Affairs that is staffed by what I would I call the A team in terms of the work that it does as a Department throughout the globe. I note, in particular, the reference to consular services. For us, as TDs, and for Senators, our primary interface with the Department of Foreign Affairs is normally through either consular services or the Passport Office. I want to acknowledge that that often hidden and silent work is very significant and that it has helped so many of our constituents throughout the country, particularly where bereavements have occurred. I fully acknowledge that role because it is vitally important, and also that it would be resourced appropriately. Let me start with that.

On passports, where stands the foreign birth registrations process? That might be one that the Secretary General might want to defer to his colleagues.