Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator Healy Eames in her call for the adult education service to be afforded a place on the new ETBs because it is an important matter. The adult education sector provides training for tens of thousands of people on a yearly basis throughout the 26 counties and is due a place on the education and training boards. Adult education officers provide an excellent service to people who were not afforded the opportunity of an education heretofore. I support the Senator's call that they should be represented on the education and training boards.

I call on the Leader to contact the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade about the Passport Office which provides an excellent service for the general public but delays arise at peak times. Trips have been cancelled because passports were not issued in time. We are told by the Passport Office that members of the public that use the postal system are guaranteed a passport within ten working days but that is not the case.

Another difficulty that I discovered during the summer was where a constituent contacted me stating that he or she had lost or mislaid his or her passport and therefore was not entitled to avail of the excellent emergency service provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

In fact, there is a rule in operation for the last 18 months or so whereby if one loses one's passport one must wait a minimum of five days before it will be processed. That must be examined and I ask the Leader to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to see if that difficulty can be overcome. While he is in contact with the Department he might inquire if the Oireachtas passport system could be reinstated. It has been very valuable to our constituents.