Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister can see from today’s debate that there is a serious issue. He called out all of the different numbers because all Deputies are receiving a huge number of queries within our own constituencies. It is the biggest issue I am addressing at the moment. While I welcome that online passport renewal is working fine, my concern is about the new applications, which take 40 working days, or about eight weeks. However, if there is any issue with paperwork or anything like that, it goes way beyond that. I am dealing with a case at the moment where a child passport has come back to the mother but the mother's passport has been kept. The mother and child are meant to be flying out next week and they have the child's passport after the 40 working days but they do not have the mother’s passport. There is huge concern about trying to get in contact with the Passport Office and trying to get communication. I know they are doing their best and this is not to do with the staff. Like others, I believe it is firmly understaffed and it is an issue we need to look at.

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