Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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127. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when the recommencement of hard copy passport applications including the passport express through post offices is expected; the timeline to clear the current backlog in these applications specifically given that the online process may not be a viable form of application for all persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33815/21]

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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128. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport applications from County Tipperary that are being processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33869/21]

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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143. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the timeframe for clearing the backlog of passport applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33870/21]

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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144. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions he is taking to reduce the serious backlog in passport applications. [33902/21]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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153. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the passport backlog which is causing serious delays for those who need to work and study abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33467/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 127, 128, 143, 144 and 153 together.

The Passport Service scaled up to more normal operational levels on 4 May 2021, in line with the phased easing of restrictions set out in “COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 – The Plan Ahead”.

The Service has been focused since then on four priority areas.

- Clearing the COVID-19 backlog of 89,000 passport applications by June 30th.

- Processing all adult renewal applications (including new applications) within 10 working days.

- Processing urgent and emergency applications.

- Providing of customer services through phone and web chat.

I am pleased to report that substantial progress has been made in clearing the COVID-19 backlog. In summary,

-54,000 of these passports have been processed and 

-19,000 are on track for issuance by the end of June.

-we are in direct contact with the remaining applicants in relation to outstanding documentation required for the issuance of their passport.

Once we received this outstanding documentation, these passports will received priority processing.

Our phone and web chat services are available to all people whose passport applications have unfortunately been affected by COVID-19 restrictions. I am pleased to report that we have responded to just over 35,000 enquiries since 4 May.

I note the concerns regarding Passport Express and I can assure the Deputy that plans are in place to resume the processing of paper based passport applications once more normal service levels exist.In the interim period an urgent and emergency service continues to operate to facilitate any citizen with an urgent need for essential travel. 

However, Passport Online will continue to be the priority channel given the efficiencies that are in-built into the system for the applicant eg the use of Passport Online can facilitate social distancing, given that a renewal application for an adult does not require the signature of a witness. The applicant will also receive their Passport up to four times faster through the online channel when compared to the paper based channel.

More people are using the Passport Online service than ever before with record levels of applications being received through this channel.  The Service has also been expanded in recent weeks to first time applicants in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. 

In relation to County Tipperary there are around 300 online applications currently being processed, down from over 1,000 applications on 10 May.