Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second Senator Rose Conway-Walsh's proposal that the Minister for Health be brought to the House, with particular reference to the report on valproate, a drug women were taking during pregnancy. It is important that the Minister explain the position because many women have been affected.

I need to raise an important issue that is being raised by many. We have all become involved in what I can only describe as the passport debacle. I have received hundreds of calls, letters and messages about problems encountered in obtaining passports. There are people who have to travel for emergencies who are run ragged in having to travel to Dublin from all corners of the country because there is no printer in Cork.To get a passport, someone must come to Dublin. Some people applied ten or 12 weeks ago, so it is not as if they are not applying in time. One woman applied on behalf of her entire family ten weeks ago ahead of their first ever trip abroad. Although their first-time applications were all sent together, she has only received two passports to date - one for her husband and the other for one of her twin sons. What procedure was followed to lead to such an outcome?

Why is the Passport Office telling people to apply in good time and use the passport express service only to smash its promise on return times? People are not getting their passports in time. There has been a spike in applications for various reasons, including a growing population, more disposable income and Brexit, but surely we planned for this when we asked the Passport Office to hire more staff for the peak season.

Like many Senators, I travel to Dublin with constituents every year to try to get them the passports to which they are entitled. This happens all year round, not just during the summer. Lately, Senators have been inundated because of the large backlog. I want the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to tell the House exactly why it can take up to 12 weeks, if not more, to get a passport. Is it that the office needs more staff or another printer?