Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This morning, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Naughten, announced that he is speeding up the roll-out of power points for electric cars nationwide in line with Government policy to the effect that all fossil fuel cars will be eliminated by 2030. This is a very ambitious plan. The target date is 12 years away. I ask that the Minister be brought before the House to discuss the plan. I have raised this matter on numerous occasions. For a person travelling from Limerick to Dublin in an electric car, there is only one point at which to recharge the vehicle.It is very difficult for people to go the full distance. We have three or four points in Limerick and we need to consider this in depth.

We are all dealing with passport issues. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's web page on passports needs to be updated regularly. It states that if people use Passport Express, they should allow six weeks. That should be at least eight or nine weeks. People should then be directed to make an appointment with the Passport Office. Someone 18 years of age or older can renew a passport online and have it issued within in two weeks. If people are under pressure having lost their passport, they can use the rapid renewal service online and make an appointment. While I take on board what was said previously about passports, the information on the website is out of date. It needs to be updated daily because getting a passport depends on which option a person takes. Most of the difficulties arise with Passport Express. People apply and are told it will take six weeks and panic in week seven if they do not have it. They call us and we then call the Passport Office. If they knew how long it would take, they would go online to renew or use the rapid renewal service. The process exists but people are being put through hell unnecessarily. If they knew the best way to go, they would use that. Passport Express does not take only six weeks currently. The Department needs to update the website daily and give people information on the various ways to getting a passport. They just need to know the one that will guarantee their passport on time.