Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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54. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to open a passport office in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26036/18]

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. 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.

Given the variety of options available, I am satisfied that the current needs of passport applicants are being met without the need for the establishment of a further passport office.

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

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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55. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of staff working in the passport offices in counties Cork and Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26037/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Staff permanently employed by my Department and assigned to the Passport Service’s Cork office at the end of May 2018 was 85.9. The number of FTE Staff permanently employed by my Department and assigned to the Passport Service’s offices Mount Street, Dublin and Balbriggan, Co. Dublin office at the end of May 2018 was 266.9 In addition to this, the Passport Service received sanction this year for 220 Temporary Clerical Officers to be appointed to the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork in accordance with

application volumes allocated to each office. Of these Temporary Clerical Officers, 40 were assigned to the Passport Office in Cork and the remainder were assigned to the two Dublin offices.