Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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312. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Passport Office plans to automatically email persons a minimum of three months in advance of their passport expiring where the Passport Office has an email address to inform persons that their passport is due to expire within the subsequent three months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56724/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Each year the Passport Service proactively plans for the demand forecasted for the following year. Part of this planning involves a public communications strategy carried out by my Department, with a view to ensuring passport demand is manageable throughout the year.

This year the Passport Service communications campaign was deployed at the start of the year with the objective of informing the public about the passport application process and to encourage citizens to apply online and in good time. This campaign ran over print, broadcast and digital mediums, as well as stadium, event and airport advertising. It included advertisements in national and local radio, as well as advertisements in national press, during a two week period in January. Further advertisements ran in the second half of the year across digital, social media, print and radio.

In the coming months, my Department will be rolling out a Digital First media and communications strategy for the Passport Service in 2023, which aims to encourage citizens to apply for their passport online, in plenty of time, and to check their passport before booking travel.

For the majority of passport holders whose passports are due to expire in the coming year, it would not be possible for the Passport Service to email these citizens to inform them that their passport is due to expire. The Passport Service does not currently hold email addresses for the majority of these citizens, as at the time of their applications, the Passport Service was not collecting applicants' email addresses.

The Passport Service continues to consider ways in which to enhance this essential citizen service including as part of future system enhancements. This will be considered as part of the reform program.