Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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461. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the turnaround times of passport applications since the resumption of services post Covid-19 restrictions. [15066/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Passport Service begun a phased return to full operation on 8 June 2020. The Passport Service has processed over 65,000 books and cards since re-opening.. The Passport Service is currently meeting the target turnaround times for Passport Online applications.

This is 10 working days for simple applications and 20 working days for complex applications, once the supporting documentation has been received.

I encourage all applicants to apply via the Passport Online service which has won awards for its user-friendly process, including a NALA award for the use of plain English. If an applicant is not familiar with using a computer, a friend or relative with basic computer skills can help them to apply online – the process only takes ten minutes to complete. Passport Online can also facilitate social distancing, given that a renewal application for an adult does not require the signature of a witness.

Passport Online expanded in 2019 to include first time applicants, both children and adults, in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain and Europe. Irish citizens, including children, can also renew their passports online 24/7, from anywhere in the world.