Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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36. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will work with the Passport Office to ensure that original documentation, supplied by applicants in respect of first-time passports, is returned with or as close to the issuance of the passports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21986/23]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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37. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason for the delay by the Passport Office to return original documentation supplied by applicants in respect of first-time passports; his proposals to reduce those delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21987/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 37 together.

My Department is currently in the busiest season for passport applications, as citizens prepare for their upcoming summer travel plans. Thanks to operational and staffing plans implemented by my Department, the Passport Service is successfully responding to the current high demand, and has issued over 403,000 passports to date this year. All turnaround times are at their target level and there are no backlogs. The Customer Service Hub is responding to over 3,000 queries per day.

As outlined on the cover sheet that applicants receive with their new passport, where original documents have been submitted to the Passport Service in support of an application, the Passport Service will return these documents separately to the new passport, within 15 working days after the passport application is processed. Currently, supporting documents are being returned within 10 working days of the issuance of the new passport. There are no delays in returning original documentation.

The Passport Service also has a system in place whereby applicants who require their supporting documents to be returned urgently can request this. In such a case, the applicant can receive their documents back even in advance of their new passport being issued.

Over the past 18 months, the Passport Service has been actively working to reduce the number of original documents required for a passport application, and very positive changes have been introduced in this regard. Parents are no longer required to submit their original Irish passport for a child's application, as photocopies are accepted. Certified copies are now accepted for naturalisation and Foreign Birth Registration certificates, meaning these original documents also no longer need to be submitted. Applicants applying on the basis of naturalisation or Foreign Birth Registration are no longer required to submit their original passport from their country of origin, provided they can submit another form of government issued photographic identification, such as a certified copy of their driver's licence or a copy of their Public Services Card. Since 1st April this year, thanks to an integration with the General Register Office (GRO), a significant cohort of first time applicants born in Ireland no longer need to submit their original birth certificate. Since then over 8,000 birth records have been retrieved digitally.

Considering that we are in the peak season for passport demand, I am satisfied with the current turnaround time for the return of supporting documents, and that there is a facility in place for those who require their documents urgently. The Passport Service will continue to consider ways in which to enhance this essential citizen service.