Written answers

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Passport Services

Photo of Niamh SmythNiamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

51. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of a passport renewal by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16736/22]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

53. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when a passport will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16759/22]

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

61. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a passport (details supplied) will issue in time for booked travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16938/22]

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

62. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a passport will be issued for a child (details supplied) in County Donegal in time for booked travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16939/22]

Photo of Niamh SmythNiamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

64. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a passport application by a person (details supplied) will be reviewed and an update provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17010/22]

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

65. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when a passport will issue for a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17046/22]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 51, 53, 61, 62, 64 and 65 together.

With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has provided an update on the status of the passport application to the applicant.

Photo of James LawlessJames Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

52. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a passport application by a person (details supplied) will be examined and expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16741/22]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

54. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress to date in the determination of an application for a passport in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16809/22]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 54 together.

With regard to the specific application about which Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has issued a passport to the applicant.

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

55. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason for the delay in processing a passport application for a child (details supplied) in County Donegal; if additional documents are required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16839/22]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has contacted the applicant's parent directly to advise that the application has now expired, and that a refund will issue to them in due course. The Passport Service has advised the applicant's parent on what is required to submit a new application for their child.

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

56. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of urgent passport query forms his Department has processed per month in 2021 and to date in 2022 from Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16893/22]

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

57. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of calls to the Oireachtas members query line that were processed per month in 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16894/22]

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

58. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of parliamentary questions he has answered in regard to individual passport applications as opposed to systematic processing queries in 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16895/22]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 56 to 58, inclusive, together.

The monthly figures requested by the Deputy for parliamentary questions and calls to the Oireachtas Passport Line are outlined below in tabular form. In addition, a table outlining the number of representations received by the Passport Service in relation to passport applications is also included.

The Passport Service does not track the number of urgent passport query forms received as these can be received through multiple channels, including as attachments to representations and to parliamentary questions.

In response to the high volume of applications being submitted to the Passport Service, a temporary phone line was established in October 2021 to respond to Oireachtas Members' queries on urgent passport cases.

In each case raised by an Oireachtas Member, the Passport Service reviews the application in question. However, applications can only be expedited in cases of genuine emergency such as a need for urgent medical treatment overseas or the death of a family member abroad.Such applications are expedited through the Travel Emergency service.

In cases where the estimated issue-by date has passed and the application is fully complete, the Passport Service will prioritise the application to ensure that no further delay is experienced.

Parliamentary Questions relating to individual passport applications

2021 PQs received
January 13
February 8
March 19
April 18
May 21
June 26
July 71
August 0
September 86
October 70
November 92
December 39
2022
January 29
February 73
March (to date) 174

Passport Service Oireachtas Line Calls and Queries

Date Calls Handled Total Number of Queries
October 2021 407 807
Nov 2021 1197 1504
Dec 2021 1099 1390
Jan 2022 1033 1360
Feb 2022 1689 2686
As of 25 March 2022 1181 1856

Representations related to passport applications

Date Number of representations received
2021
January 300
February 200
March 160
April 259
May 311
June 257
July 1672
August 1777
September 2262
October 2506
November 1686
December 1074
2022
January 2371
February 2630
As of 25 March 2022 2371

Photo of Niamh SmythNiamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

59. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport applications received and open from persons in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16925/22]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The numbers of passport applications with the Passport Service from counties Cavan, Meath and Monaghan are outlined below in tabular form.

Passport Service figures show that of the total of 182,000 passport applications in the system, 61% are fully complete and are being processed by the Passport Service. The other 39% of applications are incomplete, which means the Passport Service is waiting for the applicant to submit the necessary documentation required. While the Passport Service makes every effort to contact applicants in such circumstances, their experience is that many applicants take weeks and sometimes months to send in the necessary documents. Applications that are incomplete cannot be processed within the average turnaround times.

The table below outlines the total number of online passport applications in the system by county as well as the number that are currently being processed by the Passport Service and the number of applications that require further action from the applicant, such as the submission of additional documents.

County Applications being processed by Passport Service Applications requiring additional action by applicant Total Online Passport Applications
Cavan 584 511 1,095
Meath 2204 1498 3,702
Monaghan 493 330 823

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

60. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if passports will issue for persons (details supplied) in County Donegal to allow for travel to a family wedding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16937/22]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued passports to the applicants.

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

63. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Passport Office can provide a person (details supplied) in County Mayo with information pertaining to their previous passport. [16943/22]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

With regard to the passport number about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has contacted the citizen directly to provide the requested information.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.