Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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495. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the passport express service delivered by his Department is meeting the agreed service level agreements; if the Passport Office is provided with additional resources during seasonal variations to maintain the ten-day agreed turn-around time; if penalties are due to be paid to consumers when Passport Office service level agreements are breached; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26090/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website provides weekly performance reports on actual turnaround periods for Passport Express. Currently the turnaround time for Passport Express is on average ten working days for renewal application and 12 working days for first time applicants or for those who have lost or had their passports stolen. However the Department emphasises, including on passport application forms and on our website, that these turnaround times are a guideline rather than a stated guarantee. For this reason we recommend that citizens apply at least six weeks in advance of any planned travel.

Almost 50% of passport applications are received in the months April to July. To cope with the seasonal demand the passport service has recruited 160 additional temporary staff, most taken from the live register. This is in addition to the active pursuance of opportunities to improve customer service through a combination of internal and external service delivery initiatives. These measures have enabled the Passport Service to keep the average turnaround times for passport express at ten or 11 days for the entire peak period.