Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 3: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding passports (details supplied). [13074/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Passport Office provides a comprehensive range of options for citizens to apply for passports directly themselves. Applications may be made through the Passport Express Service through some 1,000 post offices across the country and some 70 post offices in Northern Ireland as well as through the ordinary post. The Passport Express Service ensures easy and local access to the passport services for citizens across Ireland through the local post office and is the fastest and most efficient means of obtaining a passport. A public counter service is also available in Dublin and Cork. The special passport facility whereby Oireachtas members could submit passport applications on behalf of their constituents was discontinued in January 2010. This service involved allocating staff to deal with this particular category of passports to the detriment to the service to the general public and there are no plans to re-instate it.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 4: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will review the operation of An Post's passport service in view of the delays that some citizens are experiencing in using this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13147/11]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 5: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding passport processing times (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13152/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 5 together.

Due to a surge in demand, the turnaround time for passport express applications received through the Passport Express system is currently running between 11 and 13 working days. It normally takes 10 working days. The Passport Express service is available for passport applications lodged in Ireland only. The Passport Service regrets the delay and any difficulties caused in this regard. Notice of the current extended turnaround time and its likely duration has been published on the Passport Service website www.passport.ie.http://www.passport.ie/ The Passport Office has also informed An Post so that customers can be advised of the situation at the point of application. An Post bears no responsibility for the current delays.

During the peak summer period, application processing times for this service can lengthen and the processing period for ordinary post applications is currently six weeks or longer. In such circumstances, priority continues to be given to applications made through the Passport Express Service.

Passport demand in general is currently running at a level 13% higher than the same period in earlier years. At present the Passport Service is receiving an average of 4,260 applications per day. This is an unprecedented level of demand, with the number of applications received from Irish residents alone in two recent days at over 5,200, exceeding by 700 the highest number previously for any one single day.

The largest increase has been observed in passports for children between the ages of 3 and 18 and is running 16% over previous years.

The system is also coping with an unprecedented demand for passports at short notice, with some 350 people per day coming to the public office seeking passports within a period of less than 10 days. To protect the integrity of the system and the quality of the passport, the Passport Service cannot provide standard passports within a single day. The shortest turnaround time available is three working days for applications received over the public counter accompanied by proof of travel, other than in cases of genuine emergency.

The processing of a passport is a complicated and highly skilled process. Irish passports are among the most advanced in the world. Each passport contains biometric technology to assist with identity verification and to provide a high level of security. The Office has also recently strengthened the passport issuing process by providing further safeguards against fraudulent applications.

Additional temporary staff have been recruited and are in training. Within a short period, seasonal overtime and the additional output provided by temporary staff will bring processing times back to normal levels. The delays being experienced at present are not related to the operation of An Post's passport service and I see no necessity to review the An Post service in this regard.

We would strongly appeal to the public to assist the Passport Service by checking the validity of their passports before making bookings to travel abroad. A valid passport should be the first item on any check list when considering foreign travel.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 6: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 28 of 19 May 2011, the reason for the delay in issuing a passport in respect of a person (details supplied). [13153/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Due to peak seasonal demand on all passport services at present, passport applicants may experience some delays in the delivery of their selected passport service. This is very much regretted. This is due to high demand on passport services which so far this year is currently running at a level 13% higher than the same period in previous years. To cope with this, additional temporary staff have been recruited and overtime is being provided. It is intended that these measures will bring processing times in respect of all passport services back to normal in the next few weeks. In the case of the person in question, an application for a passport was made to the Passport Office in Balbriggan through the ordinary post passport service on 12 April. Applications made through this service do not have a guaranteed turnaround service, as is the case for the Passport Express service, referred to in Question No.28 of 19 May 2011. During the peak summer period, application processing times for this service can lengthen and the processing period for ordinary post applications is currently six weeks or longer.

This person was in contact with the Passport Service on 9 May and 16 May to advise that she is travelling on 5 June. On this basis, her passport application is on schedule to be processed by this date. The Passport Officer in Balbriggan, Mr. Kevin Walzer, would be glad to provide the applicant with an update in regard to her application. He may be contacted at kevin.walzer@dfa.ie.