Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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363. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of persons that work in the Passport Office in Cork and Dublin since January 2020 to date; the number still working from home; the number that have full access to their systems; the number that been fully paid since March 2020 to date; the number that are receiving their full payments, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54044/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The data on monthly staffing levels in the Passport Service from January 2020 to November 2021 requested by Deputy Collins is outlined below in tabular form. This data covers staffing levels over the entire period of the COVID-19 Pandemic to date. Passport Service staff have been fully paid throughout this period.

During this period, many Passport Service officers were redeployed to assist with the national response to COVID-19, in essential public service roles, such as contact tracing for the HSE, assisting the Department of Social Protection in the processing of COVID-19 related benefits, providing consular assistance to Irish citizens overseas and assisting the Public Appointments Service.

Throughout the Pandemic, the Passport Service provided an emergency passport service for situations such as the death of a relative overseas and other humanitarian reasons. Between January and May of this year, taking into account the COVID-19 protocols in place at the time, 67,000 passport books and cards were issued.

Virtually all staff, (99%), have been working on-site focused on passport production and customer service tasks since the start of May 2021. Staff have full access to the technological systems required to carry out their roles.

Over half a million passports have been issued this year to date and almost 45% of passports for simple online adult renewals issue within one business day. In addition, 5,000 Foreign Birth Registration applications have been processed in cases of exceptional urgency. Since June of the year, the Customer Service Hub has responded to almost 125,000 phone calls and webchat messages.

Adequate staffing of the Passport Service to respond to demand remains a priority for my Department and is an issue that is kept under constant review. The Department is working closely with the Public Appointments Service to recruit and assign additional staff to meet the current and expected demand for passports in the coming months and into 2022.

Passport Service staffing numbers from January 2020 to 1 November 2021

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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373. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when a passport will issue to a person (details supplied); the reason this passport application has not been processed within the date indicated on the Department website; the reason for the inordinate delay in processing this passport application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54147/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service cannot process an application until the required supporting documents have been received. The Passport Service has provided an update to the applicant's parent as to the steps they must take to progress the passport application.

The Passport Service is currently experiencing a high demand for first time passports. These first time applications are complex to process. The Passport Service must validate the true identity of the applicant and take measures to confirm the applicant’s entitlement to Irish citizenship, which they are claiming for the first time. Vetting identity and citizenship is fundamentally important to protecting the integrity of the Irish passport. In the case of first time passport applications for children, the consent of guardians must be thoroughly validated.

Of the complete applications that are with the Passport Service for processing, approximately 8% are past the estimated issue-by date. These applications are currently being prioritised by the Passport Service who are working very hard to eliminate these delays. Applications can take longer than the average turnaround time if applicants have not provided all of the required documentation to correctly complete their application. The Passport Service engages with all applicants who have not submitted the required documentation to ensure that their application is completed correctly and can proceed through the processing system.