Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will begin by commending the work of all of the employees of the Passport Offices who have been redeployed to assist in public service delivery during this health crisis. As I understand it, the number of passport applications in Ireland has fallen by more than 150,000 in the past three months. Figures released to theIrish Examinerby the Department showed that in April only 13,820 applications were received for new and renewed passports. This is just 13% of the 103,482 applications received in April last year. In light of this, I do not understand why our post offices are still not accepting applications made via the passport express system during this time. It is vital that post office services are not curtailed any further than they have been over the past number of years. This is an issue of real concern to many rural communities. I would like some assurance that once this crisis is over local post offices will be allowed to resume the passport express service and that it will be retained in the online and postal format. As the Minister is no doubt aware, last year An Post announced the closure of 159 post offices as part of a restructuring plan. This has had a significant impact, especially in remote areas where access to services is already extremely limited. It damages the local economy and makes it more difficult for businesses, as opposed to having a post office that operates a financial service. This is a proposal I have put forward in the House. The Kiwibank system or another community banking system should be looked at.

I believe there is a lot there. I would like a response specifically to the Passport Express issue.

In terms of travel restrictions, I would like some clarification on the number of those who have entered the State through our ports or airports but have refused to sign the legal documentation around the self-isolation procedures. It is now law that those who arrive in Ireland from any other country will need to fill in a form called the Covid-19 passenger locator form. They will also be asked to self-isolate for 14 days. Will the Tánaiste provide details or an update on the effectiveness of the monitoring of this process? As I understand it, we already have a wide-ranging and enhanced customs infrastructure that was initially put in place to deal with the post-Brexit customs checks at Rosslare Europort. This has involved Revenue appointing more than 400 additional staff nationally to customs and related roles for Brexit, with 30 of these additional 400 staff assigned to Rosslare Europort. Have any of those staff and that customs check infrastructure been reopened or repurposed to ensure that people entering the State through our ports are here for reasons of absolute necessity? There is a growing sense among many people that the rules are being applied more heavily to some while they are not being applied at all to others in terms of travel restrictions. I would appreciate the Tánaiste's response to those questions, including a written response to any he cannot answer this evening.

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