Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge Senator O'Loughlin's presence in the Acting Leader position today on what is St. Brigid's Day.

I welcome that, during Private Members' business tomorrow, we will debate passports with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and we will all have an opportunity to contribute on it. As public representatives, we all encounter people who have forgotten that their passports are out of date. Obviously, many people are also applying for first-time passports. There is something that we and companies can do to improve the situation for people who have forgotten that their passports are out of date, namely, issue a reminder. This month and next month, many people will be booking holidays abroad with Aer Lingus, Ryanair or travel agencies. If those companies had a system whereby people were asked whether their passports are still six months in date and whether they could supply their passport reference numbers, people would have to look for their passports and check them, which would serve to remind them of whether their passports are in date. We are always encountering situations where people have booked holidays or trips only to realise while packing their bags a week or a couple of days before they leave that their passports are out of date. What if it was instead the case that someone could find out that his or her passport is out of date when booking a flight or a trip through a travel agency? It would help the travel agencies, the airlines and the passport delivery service. If people apply for passports earlier than they need them, they are more likely to be successful. I call on the industries to come together and help the customers, the passport services and the industries themselves by putting in place this facility on their websites for whenever anyone is applying.