Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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42. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the estimated amount it would cost in a full year if the passport application fee was reduced to €60 for persons over 75 years of age based on 2017 figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41021/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Based on 2017 application volumes, the Passport Service has calculated the potential annual cost of reducing the passport application fee to €60 for applicants over 75 years of age to be just under half a million euros.

The cost of the standard ten year adult Irish passport compares favourably with many other jurisdictions. At a cost of €80, which breaks down to €8 per year, the Irish passport fee compares with approximately €8.60 per year for a British passport, €8.60 per year for a French passport, €9.60 per year for renewal of an American passport and €17.20 per year for an Australian passport.

Given that any shortfall in revenue for such a subsidy would have to be met by the taxpayer, I do not have any plans at this time to waive or reduce the application fee for any category of adult passport.