Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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681. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the expenditure on the passport office service; the cost of maintaining offices in counties Cork and Dublin; the number of staff employed in the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27110/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The cost of operating the Passport Service in 2016 was €31.6 million. Revenue from passport book and card fees in the same period amounted to €46.9m. Any properties occupied by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the State are rented and maintained by the Office of Public Works. As of 1 January 2017, 301.7 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff permanently employed by my Department were assigned to the Passport Service. In addition, the Passport Service has received sanction for 230 Temporary Clerical Officers (TCOs) for 26 weeks in 2017. The number employed at any given time fluctuates as recruitment is phased and TCOs may terminate their employment in order to take up other positions. It is expected that close to the full sanction of TCO weeks will be used this year.