Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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839. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will introduce a reduced rate for passport applications in relation to old age pensioners who are on low incomes, as the current rate is very high for low income pensioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24817/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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A decision was taken in the 2005 budget to exempt applicants aged 65 and over from the passport fee. In 2011 the Government decided in light of the budgetary situation to discontinue the exemption and to apply the same ten-year passport fee to all applicants aged eighteen years or over. The annualised fee for a standard ten year Irish passport compares favourably with many other jurisdictions. At €8 per year, the Irish passport fee compares with approximately €9.60 for a French passport, €9.40 per year for a British passport, €9.90 per year for an American passport and €16.70 per year for an Australian passport. Given that the shortfall in revenue would have to be met by the taxpayer I do not have any plans at this time to reduce the fee charged to older applicants.