Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit arís. Bhí sé linn aréir don phlé ar an tairiscint Comhaltaí Príobháideacha. Tá sé go maith go bhfuil sé linn arís. I will preface my remarks by stressing the obvious. I understand we are in exceptional times with regard to international travel. While we are all positive about and encouraged by the easing of restrictions North and South, there persists clear and coherent guidance with regard to safety and international travel. In no way do I seek to take away from or compete with that guidance with my Commencement matter. Now that the Government has taken the very welcome decision to deem the Passport Office an essential service, which was a belated decision but nonetheless welcome, it is important that people have an understanding of the process for the resumption of services. In addition to being a document needed for travel, a passport is also a very important document for people personally. It is also an important form of identification. It is the right time to hear from Government as to the mechanics of the resumption of services.

We will also potentially be facing a backlog. I heard the Minister, Deputy Coveney, make reference to this on the radio. He was quite confident the Passport Office would be able to clear this backlog with reasonable speed. I hope that is the case because I and, I am sure, colleagues here in the Seanad and across the elected political spectrum have been contacted by people who are still awaiting the passports they need for a whole range of reasons.

I will raise a final issue which I raise consistently with Government, so I am sure it came as no surprise to officials to see it in my Commencement matter. The trajectory of passport applications has been consistently upwards. The staff of the Passport Office do a first-class job. They are very effective in what they do but they deserve more investment and support to lift the burden on them, which must be very great. I reflect on the remarks of the Secretary General of the Department who said the staff are under huge pressure as a result of the volume of passport applications being made. It makes real practical sense for the Government to invest in additional infrastructure and in additional service provision. This would allow for the processing of this tremendous volume of applications for passport renewals and first-time online applications in a much less stressful way.

One of the very obvious ways in which to do this would be to open a new office in the North of Ireland. There is a clear, demonstrable and identifiable need in that geographical area of our country. In an emergency situation in which people have to travel, it is not always an easy process for people living in the north east, the north west or the west, whether in Ballycastle or Bundoran. It can be quite arduous. We need to put in the infrastructure and to provide services in those areas where they are needed and where people can most easily interface with our efficient first-class Passport Office. When this service is so successful and so good, we should build on it and share that resource right across the island for the benefit of everyone.