Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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186. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to increase the number of post offices in the UK that accept express applications for Irish passport applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25661/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Passport Service offers a range of channels for submission of passport applications by Irish citizens in Great Britain. Advice and guidance on these channels is available on the Department’s website at .

The award-winning, Online Passport Application service for adults was launched in March 2017 and offers the convenience of an online application facility 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.

This service has proved to be very convenient for both the citizen and the Passport Service with a target turnaround time of 10 working days (plus postage time). In fact in 50% of cases, applications are processed in 5 working days (plus postage time). This service will be available to further renewal categories, including children, by the end of 2018.

Applicants in Great Britain who are not eligible to apply via the Online Passport Application service can submit their applications at the designated post offices in Liverpool and Glasgow, by post to the Passport Office in Cork, or submit their application by appointment at the public counter at the Passport Office, London.

Taking into account the range of options currently available and the plans to extend the Online Passport Application service to further categories of applicants, I am satisfied that these services will meet the needs of Irish citizens in Great Britain without the need to further expand the passport express service in that region.