Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I thank all the Deputies who contributed to the debate on the Passports Bill. Like many Members, this is an important Bill. The tone and content of the debate was constructive. There is a great deal of consensus in this area. We all share a desire to ensure that our citizens obtain the highest level of service and security.

It has been remarked to me that the Bill is very accessible. In so far as it is possible to do so with complex legislation, efforts have been made to use straightforward and plain language. Enactment of the legislation should, in turn, help to streamline the operation of our passport service and should result, ultimately, in a more effective and efficient service for the public. The legislative foundation should ensure that we can now take forward the passport service.

The Passport Office has the largest client base of any State service, with an estimated 4.2 million valid Irish passports in use. This covers Irish citizens throughout the world. Ireland is unusual in having such a high proportion of its adult population with passports, with an estimated nine out of every ten holding a current passport.

I referred in my opening remarks to the major innovations introduced in recent years and, in particular, to the development of the e-passport. Not alone has the inclusion of biometric data greatly enhanced the integrity and security of the Irish passport, it has also meant that Irish citizens can continue to avail of the visa waiver scheme for entry to the United States of America. This means a reduction in inconvenience and cost. The application fee for a standard non-immigrant visa is €80.

In reply to Deputy Timmins, we must maintain our visa waiver status. Last year, almost 500,000 trips to the United States were made by Irish citizens. Ireland is now in the top ten countries for visits to the United States. More people visit the United States from Ireland than from the continent of Africa or China. This is astonishing for a country with a relatively modest population. If we were to lose our visa free status there could be a sudden halt to visits to the United States of America. The US Embassy in Dublin has indicated that in such an eventuality, it could not service the local demand for visas. In no time there would be long queues in Ballsbridge and a wait of several weeks for an interview to obtain a visa. Our visa free status demands that we maintain the high technological standard of our passport and ensure the integrity of our overall passport system.

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