Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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164. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the system through which elected representatives can communicate with the Passport Office; and his plans to review this system to better improve it. [24491/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Passport Service currently has a dedicated channel of communication for Oireachtas representatives. To ensure resources are used effectively many of my Department’s functions, including communication channels, are centralised and accordingly, my office is the dedicated point of contact for public representatives. This ensures consistency, efficiency and fairness in responses to the queries of all public representatives. Any passport-related queries raised through this channel are dealt with without delay.

I am grateful to Deputies for their continued assistance in advising constituents to submit their application in good time before their planned travel date, to consult the Passport Service’s webpage on my Department’s website before applying and to sign up for our passport renewal reminder service.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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165. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the consideration he is giving to the need for a new and dedicated passport service located in Northern Ireland. [24492/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Passport Service offers a range of convenient channels for submission of passport applications by Irish citizens and I am satisfied that the options available meet the current needs of passport applicants without the need for the establishment of a further passport office.

An online passport application service was launched in March 2017 and offers the convenience of an online application system 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for Irish citizens anywhere in the world, without the need for application forms, printed photos or witnesses. At present, the online passport application service accommodates adult passport renewal applications and passport card applications. It is planned to extend the online application facility to other categories of renewal by the end of 2018.

People who cannot or do not wish to apply online have the option of applying through their local post office. The vast majority of applications received by the Passport Service from applicants residing in the island of Ireland are submitted through Passport Express and Northern Ireland Passport Express. Northern Ireland Passport Express allows applicants living in Northern Ireland to apply for their passport through more than 70 post offices.

Bearing in mind the availability of both the online and postal application channels, very few citizens living in the island of Ireland are required to travel a significant distance in order to apply for their passport. In the relatively small number of cases where citizens need to travel very urgently and do not have a valid passport, the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork offer an appointment service.

Advice and guidance on the above channels and other useful information on passports is available on the Department’s website at www.dfa.ie/passport.