Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 62: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding passport application forms (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16109/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Passport Fees for those aged 65 and over were announced in the December 2010 budget and were re-introduced on 11 April 2011. Since that time the new fees have been publicised on the Passport Office website www.passport.ie and on the Passport Office telephone information line. Information regarding the new fees 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 at the time of their introduction to inform the public of the new fees. In terms of printing new application forms and information notes, there is a significant cost to destroying existing forms and printing new forms. It was considered disproportionate to recall and destroy all existing stock at that time. Revised information notes and new application forms are currently being printed and will be distributed to Post Offices, Garda Stations and Libraries and Passport Offices in the coming weeks. A separate information sheet setting out passport fees will also be provided to all offices where passport application forms are available.