Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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48. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the turnaround time for passport applications; the number of persons waiting to have passport applications processed through the Passport Office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40310/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The turnaround timeframe for a passport application will depend, in the first instance, on the channel through which the application was submitted. The Passport Service provides a range of channels to Irish citizens wishing to apply for a passport. These include a postal application system, an online passport application service, in person counter application facilities in Dublin and Cork and the network of Irish Missions worldwide.

The average turnaround time for renewal applications submitted through Passport Express is currently ahead of target at 10 working days.

Other types of application, which are generally submitted through Passport Express, such as first time applications or applications to replace lost, stolen or damaged passports are also ahead of target at 15 working days. The target turnaround times for these channels are 15 working days and 20 working days respectively.

The current turnaround time for applications made via the online passport application service is also ahead of target at 8 working days plus postage, 2 days ahead of the target of 10 working days. I would urge applicants wishing to renew their passports, whether residing in Ireland or overseas, to avail of the online passport application service where possible.

At present, the online passport application service accommodates adult passport renewal applications and passport card applications. The Passport Service is currently in the process of rolling out a similar service for the renewal of children’s passports.

The Passport Service is processing just over 22,000 passport applications at present. These applications are going through the normal checking, processing and security stages.

Measures taken by the Passport Service this year to manage increasing passport demand included the recruitment of Temporary Clerical Officers and the use of targeted overtime. The Passport Service plans to commence recruitment for next year’s intake Temporary Clerical Officers next month so that the appropriate level temporary staff are trained and in place early next year.