Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will be aware that the need for additional resources is kept under constant review. I agree that during recent years we have employed hundreds of temporary officers to assist the office, particularly during the summer months. They are a ready resource of experienced people who will work side by side with the permanent staff. However, I would remind the Deputy and the public that all applicants should carefully check the validity of their passports, and in particular those of their children, and then choose the correct mode of application because there have been a number of pressure points in recent times. The employment of temporary clerical officers is not a long-term solution. That is why we are proceeding with innovative actions in the Passport Office such as the passport card online service, which is very user-friendly for travelling and is accepted throughout the European Union and beyond. I would ask people to differentiate clearly between the application, the Passport Express service and the emergency application.

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