Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important to note that the passport reform programme continues to deliver major upgrades for the passport services technology platform and business process as well as for the customer service experience. It is also worth noting that the development of the online service is the future direction of improvements within the passport system. The appropriate way to speed up delivery and the provision of a better service to people wishing to obtain passports is through that process. It also has tremendous benefits for people working within the system because it enables them to process more passports for people in a better and quicker way.

The passport online system was expanded in April 2021 to include first-time applicants in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US. This means that 98% of Irish citizens worldwide can avail of this service. This improved delivery and resilience in 2022 will continue when we expect a substantial increase in applications. As indicated, there was a drop in the overall number of applications this year as a result of the pandemic. Over the next month, improvements, including the integration of passport online with MyGovID, and further enhancements will continue, particularly to assist parents of young children to use passport online.