Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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61. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the detail of the requirement for all first-time passport applicants aged 18 years of age and over to have a public services card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25614/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Since 29 March last year my Department has required all first-time passport applicants aged eighteen and above who are resident in Ireland to hold a valid Public Services Card. This requirement also applies to the small number of adult passport applicants whose last passport was issued before 1 January 2005 and has since been reported as lost, stolen or damaged.

This measure has been an important step in protecting against fraud and identity theft and in upholding the integrity of the Irish passport. It also ensures that the identity of first-time applicants for Irish passports continues to be verified to a high standard.

The impact on adult first-time passport applicants is that they no longer need to supply a certified copy of a document such as a driving license or student card for identification purposes. The card also dispenses with the current requirement for additional proof of name. Proof of address is still required. The introduction of the requirement has had no significant impact on customer service or on the processing time for first-time passport applications.