Written answers
Wednesday, 6 December 2017
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Passport Data
Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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92. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passports and passport cards issued in each month to date in 2017; the amount raised from the issuing of these passports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52127/17]
Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The number of passports issued from the beginning of the year to the end of November 2017 was 742,280. During the same period, 36,955 passport cards were issued. At this stage in the year, figures for associated receipts are strictly provisional only; and receipts for November 2017 are not yet complete. On this provisional basis, passports and passport cards issued have generated total receipts of €48.6 million.The number of passports and passport cards issued and the provisional monthly revenue generated to date in 2017 are as follows:
| Passports | Cards | Revenue (€k)* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34,175 | 1,526 | 4,351 |
| February | 67,097 | 1,908 | 4,357 |
| March | 84,143 | 2,190 | 4,974 |
| April | 87,032 | 3,049 | 4,787 |
| May | 103,030 | 5,044 | 7,790 |
| June | 95,901 | 4,917 | 5,525 |
| July | 77,872 | 3,982 | 4,299 |
| August | 66,733 | 4,328 | 3,777 |
| September | 49,549 | 3,591 | 4,558 |
| October | 40,633 | 3,263 | 2,777 |
| November** | 36,115 | 3,157 | 1,418 |
| 742,280 | 36,955 | €48,613,000 |
* All figures for receipts are provisional only
** November 2017 receipts are not yet complete
These revenue streams are appropriations in aid and are remitted directly to the Exchequer.
The passport is a key travel and identity document. The processing of applications by the Passport Service involves the deployment of significant resources, including to develop new business processes to modernise enrolment, checking and production systems and to improve customer service. Software solutions and data analytics, including facial recognition, are also deployed to combat identity theft and maintain the integrity and high international reputation of the Irish passport.
A number of innovations have been introduced in recent years. The world-first passport card gives adult Irish passport-holders the option of a credit card-sized travel document valid for travel to 31 countries in total, including the EU/EEA plus Switzerland.
Further, an online passport application service (www.dfa.ie/passportonline/) was launched in March of this year. This award-winning service allows adult Irish citizens to submit their passport renewal applications online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, wherever they are in the world, without the need for paper forms, signatures or printed photographs.
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