John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 78: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he has taken to inform the public of the new changes for a passport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10677/11]

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 79: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the changes in the method of the application for passports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10678/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 79 together.

All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passport Act, 2008. Section 6 of that Act provides, inter alia, that an applicant is required to submit any information and documents in relation to that person that is deemed necessary by the Minister for the purpose of processing passport applications.

Changes in the method of application for adult first time applicants and for those adults seeking to replace a lost/stolen passport were introduced on 17 January, 2011. The aim of the new requirements was to strengthen procedures to best protect against identity theft and fraudulent passport applications. Given the importance of strengthening procedures, it was decided that the new requirements had to be introduced without delay.

The new requirements were publicised on the Passport Office website www.passport.ie and on the Passport Office telephone information line. Information regarding the new requirements was also issued to An Garda and to An Post, who operate the Passport Express Service used by over 60% of passport applicants. Public notices were published in national newspapers to inform the public of the new requirements.

Details of these changes are not, however, reflected in the current version of the Passport Application Form Notes which accompanies each application form. There would have been a significant cost to destroying existing stock of forms and printing new forms. Given that those affected by the new requirements represent a relatively small percentage of overall applicants and in order to achieve maximum value for money, it was considered disproportionate to recall and destroy all existing stock at that time. All offices dispensing passport forms were informed of the changes. Revised information notes and application forms which include information on the new requirements introduced in January since that time are currently being developed. The new forms will be available from June 2011. A decision to re-introduce passport fees for citizens, aged 65 or over, was taken by the previous Government. This measure, which was announced in the Budget last December, took effect from 11 April 2011, which was the date set out in Statutory Instrument 47/2011 signed by the then Taoiseach and acting Minister for Foreign Affairs on 3 February 2011.

This Statutory Instrument also provided for an increase of €15 on the current fee of €80 for passports, where applications are submitted through the ordinary post or over the counter at the Passport Offices. It is important to note that this increase does not apply to those passport applications submitted through the 'Passport Express' system (and Northern Ireland Passport Express - NIPX). Nor does it apply to applications received from overseas. Details of the new passport fees were publicised on the Passport Office website www.passport.ie. Public notices were also published in national newspapers to inform the public of this change.