Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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52. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of additional staff which were hired or allocated to the passport office in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13441/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Staff permanently employed by my Department and assigned to the Passport Service on January 1 for 2017 was 301.7 and in 2018: 322.5.

This year, since these figures were released, over 20 permanent staff have started with the Passport Service.

In order to respond to seasonal demands and anticipated application increases, the Passport Service received sanction this year for 220 Temporary Clerical Officers (“TCOs”) to be appointed to the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork. The vast majority of these TCOs are already in place with the remaining TCOs expected to be fully trained and in place by the end of March at latest.