Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 49: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of valid Irish passports in circulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26475/11]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 50: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to establish a new system of recording the number of current passport holders who were the result of applications from outside of the Irish Republic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26476/11]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 51: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of Irish passports issued through Irish embassies and consular representatives throughout the world each year for the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26477/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 to 51, inclusive, together.

The total number of valid Irish passports in circulation as at 22 September 2011 was 4,462,387. The number of Irish passport applications received through Irish embassies and consular representatives throughout the world each year for the past five years is as follows:

Additionally: In relation to figures from Northern Ireland, I can confirm that up to end August 2011 29,000 applications were received through the Northern Ireland Passport Express Service available through post offices. This figure compares with 37,600 for all of 2010, 37,800 for 2009, 38,400 applications in 2008 and 36,000 in 2007.

In relation to figures from Great Britain, I can confirm that up to end August 2010 20,355 applications were received through the Passport Office in London. This figure compares with 50,899 for all of 2009, 53,804 applications in 2008 and 51,169 in 2007. (With effect from August 2010 all passport applications from Great Britain have been repatriated for processing in the passport offices in Dublin. It is therefore not possible to separate out statistical information on passport applications for Great Britain from this date.)

The Passport Service technology system does not record "address" information in the structured format necessary to facilitate the production of management information in relation to place of residency, place of birth etc. The availability of this information would require a fundamental redesign of the system, which could not be cost justified for this facility alone. However, this matter will be addressed in the context of any major system changes which may emerge in the future.