Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for having to leave shortly as the Dáil is running an hour ahead of schedule. I have two short questions for the Tánaiste. One of my questions concerns an issue that I think he touched on in his opening statement. I stand to be corrected but I believe we did not get a copy of his opening statement. The foreign birth registration application process has caused and is causing profound hardship for people. Like most people, I understand that at the height of the demand on the Passport Office, staff needed to be moved into the area but that led to a backlog of foreign birth register applicants. I would appreciate if the Tánaiste's Department could examine the issue and the resources available.

My second question somewhat straddles two stools.

I read about the North-South Anglo-Irish co-operation budget being increased by 10%. That is to be welcomed. No doubt, there will be plans for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. With that said, I am still somewhat perplexed by the reluctance to open a passport office in the North, given that additional Passport Office space was made available in Balbriggan. We should bear in mind that those who are democratically elected in the North do not have a direct line like the Oireachtas line into the Passport Office in Dublin. It is a little bit of an anomaly to say there is no demand and that everything is moving online but then provide additional office space in Balbriggan and not even offer those elected in the North some type of a priority line to the Passport Office. What are the Tánaiste's plans around that? What is his opinion on it? Would he be open to running a few costings as to what the actual financial implications would be of opening a passport office in the North?