Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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138. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures being taken to ensure that the delays experienced in processing of passports in 2022 will not be repeated in 2023, with particular emphasis on first-time applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4441/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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2022 was an exceptionally busy year for the Passport Service, with over 1,085,000 passports issued. 2023 is set to be a similarly busy year.

In recent weeks, there has been a marked increase in applications received, signifying that the next busy season for passports is commencing. Applications have increased from an average of 1,400 per day in December to almost 5,000per day in recent weeks.

Thanks to significant investment by the Government and the dedicated work of the Passport Service staff, substantial improvements were made in 2022 and full, normal service was restored. All processing times for online applications are in line with normal pre-Covid processing times. 

Over the past few months my Department has been planning to ensure that demand for passports continues to be met in 2023, with a view to maintaining target processing times throughout the year.

Adequate staffing of the Passport Service to respond to demand continues to be a priority for my Department in 2023 and is an issue that is kept under constant review.

My Department ran 15 competitions in 2021 and 2022 to address staffing needs in the Passport Service. New office space on the Balbriggan campus is now open and provides over 200 additional workstations to accommodate the increase in staff numbers.

The Passport Service and Human Resources are also actively working to assign new staff to the Passport Service throughout the first quarter of the year. Approximately 100 successful candidates from a Temporary Clerical Officer competition run by the Department are currently going through the Garda Vetting process and will be assigned in the coming weeks and months.

Currently, 100% of calls received are being answered by the Customer Service Hub and the staffing plan for 2023 aims to ensure that excellent customer service is maintained during periods of peak demand. 

Passport Online can be used by 97% of applicants across the world, for both first time and renewal applications. The Passport Online Service is 4 times faster than paper-based applications for adult and child renewal applications. Over 90% of applicants now apply through Passport Online.

My Department is currently rolling out a Digital First media and communications campaign for the Passport Service for 2023. The campaign aims to encourage citizens to check their passport before booking travel, and to apply for their passport online and in plenty of time. This campaign began in December, with digital, print and social media advertisements. Radio advertisements commenced this month, which will be followed by outdoor advertising in early February.

All ads will remind citizens to check the validity of their passports before booking travel. The first few weeks of the campaign have already seen a 245% increase in traffic to the Passport Service website, compared to the weeks preceding the campaign. The Passport Service also had a presence at the Holiday World Show in Dublin last weekend. 

Indications are that the campaign is having the desired impact. January application numbers to date in 2023 have increased by 24% when compared to the same period in 2022. Additionally, we have seen a 245% increase in website traffic to dfa.ie/passports compared to early December, prior to the campaign.

I am confident that the staffing and accommodation measures implemented, along with other improvements, will have a positive impact on passport processing times for 2023.