Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passport applications which were received in the passport office which had been sent by swift or express post; the number of passport applications by ordinary post; the value of the new machine which was installed in the passport office; the number of times this machine has broken down; and the number of staff who are employed in the customer care side of the passport office over the past five years. [17787/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The following is the breakdown of applications received in the passport offices in Dublin — Molesworth Street and Balbriggan — and Cork in 2005 to the end of April: passport express — 128,080; regular post — 17,198; counter applications — 39,540; total — 184,818. The figures represent an increase of 8.86% over the corresponding period in 2004. The passport office is implementing a new system for processing passport applications which includes a new, more secure passport booklet. As part of the overall project, specialised production equipment has been purchased at a cost of approximately €8 million.

The new system involves the use of a number of new advanced software and hardware technologies to provide one of the most advanced passport systems in the world. It has been described to us by the US State Department as "superb" and as having "security advantages" which are "extensive". It is normal and understandable for teething problems to arise in the initial months of the operation of any new high technology system. Any problems, however, have been well within expectations and have not adversely affected the delivery of services to the public.

Production has been affected on 15 occasions since last November, with the majority of interruptions lasting five hours or less. As part of the contingency arrangements built into the new system, production can be transferred electronically between the production centres in Balbriggan and Molesworth Street. This ensures that one site can provide cover for the other in case of any difficulty.

The passport office has 19 staff in its customer care and telephone helpline sections. Staff levels in this area have been increased over recent years and current numbers are slightly above those of five years ago. A 24-hour recorded information service is also provided. As the Deputy will appreciate, the volume of calls varies from time to time and, at peak periods, customers may experience some delay in getting through by telephone. In response to the problem, the passport office redeploys staff from other areas to its customer care telephone helpline when required.

To respond as well as possible to public demand, the Department also provides an emergency passport service in the evenings and at weekends.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 98: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passports which have been issued to date in 2005; and the amount of revenue which was taken in by the passport office. [17788/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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A total of 184,818 passports were issued by the passport offices in Dublin, Balbriggan and Cork to the end of April 2005, the last month for which I have full monthly records. The revenue received amounted to €8,346,503.