Written answers
Friday, 16 September 2016
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Passport Applications Fees
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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842. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department allowed the elderly to be issued a three year passport for a lower fee; if he will consider reintroducing this for those over 80 years of age (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24921/16]
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 18 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.
The administration and production costs incurred by the Passport Service in supplying passports with a limited validity would be the same as those of a standard ten year passport.
Given that any shortfall in revenue or additional costs 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 or to change validity periods.
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