Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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748. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he plans to take to reinstate the service provided by the Apostille Office to authenticate documents in a timely manner given it is taking upwards of four weeks to carry out the same task; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14170/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that my Department's Authentication and Apostille Unit provides essential consular services for Irish citizens and businesses. I am pleased to confirm therefore that staff in the unit have continued to attend and work in the office throughout all levels of the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to access applications and operate specialist printers and equipment. 

There have of course been significant challenges to the operation of the service due to COVID-19. In line with health and safety guidelines, the public office had to close. Applications therefore have had to be submitted and returned by post, resulting in an inevitable increase in turnaround times. Furthermore, during Level 5 restrictions, staff have had to work in a reduced rotational capacity. Nevertheless, despite these challenges, the Unit processed over 46,000 stamps last year alone. 

The level of applications has remained extremely high throughout COVID-19, however, and there is currently a backlog. Further measures are being taken to address this, including in terms of additional staffing, a second office space and new specialised printers. Staff have also been as responsive as possible in accommodating urgent requests. My Department will continue to work to improve processing times over the coming weeks and months, while keeping in mind the need to comply with health and safety requirements.