Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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15. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport applications from County Carlow that are currently outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37360/23]

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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26. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on a matter regarding passport applications (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37583/23]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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47. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport checkers assigned to the processing of online passport applications; if he will provide the number of checkers assigned to the processing of passport express paper applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38558/23]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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50. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if additional staffing resources will be assigned to the passport express paper applications to improve the processing times in line with online passport applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38582/23]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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51. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the average processing times for passport express applications with all the documentation and the average processing times when additional information is requested will be added to passport express applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38583/23]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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57. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total number of outstanding passport applications on hand, including incomplete applications; and the number on hand for more than three months. [38849/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 26, 47, 50, 51 and 57 together.

The Passport Service is successfully meeting high demand for passports, and has issued over 764,000 passports to date in 2023 and all turnaround times are at their target level. There are no application backlogs, all applications are being processed in the normal way. Over half of all simple adult online renewals are processed within 2 working days.

The Passport Service remains committed to offering a range of application channels, including a paper-based service for citizens who are not eligible or do not wish to use the Passport Online service.

There are currently 450 Passport Service staff working directly on passport applications, of which 120 (26%) are assigned to work on Post Passport and other paper applications. This number does not include staff working in the Passport Service Customer Service Hub, Foreign Birth Registration Unit or working in the various other support services required by the Passport Service. Currently, paper applications make up 10% of the passport applications received by the Passport Service.

There are proportionally more checking staff assigned to paper applications given 26% of passport processing staff are processing 10% of the work.This is because paper applications, by nature, will always be a slower process. It is also not possible with paper applications to differentiate between simple adult renewals and the most complex of first time applications as all applicants use the same form. Therefore, the turnaround time for all paper applications is 8 weeks. Given that 10% of applicants now use the paper service, it is not the priority service for the Passport Service in the context of strategy and resources and there are no current plans to enable both paper and online applications to be processed within the same timeframe. The Passport Service will continue to consider ways in which to enhance this essential service for citizens.

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the efficiencies of Passport Online, which is by far the quickest way to apply for a passport. It is an award-winning online platform, which places the Irish Passport Service amongst the most innovative in the world. Through Passport Online, citizens also have the option of applying for a passport card, which is valid for travel to most EU countries as well as the UK.

The total number of complete passport applications currently being processed by the Passport Service stands at 34,000.The Passport Service currently has 3,200 applications on hand for 3 months or more. 97% of these are awaiting further documentation from the applicants and the remaining 100 applications require additional time due to complex citizenship entitlement, legal or guardianship issues.

The number of passport applications currently in the Passport Online system from County Carlow are outlined below in tabular form. The table also breaks down the number of applications 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 documentation. These applications are not considered outstanding, as they are being processed in line with normal turnaround times.

County - Carlow

I strongly encourage the Deputies to advise their constituents of the advantages of using the substantially more efficient online service, which is now used by over 90% of applicants worldwide.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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16. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a Member of Parliament for Westminster can witness an Irish passport application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37388/23]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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17. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline the Passport Office process for confirming identification with a witness; if he will provide clarity on (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37389/23]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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18. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if consideration has been given to allowing elected public representatives, (details supplied) namely local councillors, in their capacity as witnesses to Irish passport applications to include their official council provided mobile number as a point of contact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37390/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 17 and 18 together.

The Passport Service takes its responsibility to protect the integrity of the Irish passport very seriously. The Irish passport has a strong international reputation due to the strength of the security features within the passport book and the robust processes involved in its issuance. The Irish passport was recently ranked 3rd in the Henley Global Passport Index as it provides our citizens with visa-free access to 189 countries.

An element of this process is to require all first time and minor applicants to have their identity and, in the case of minors, the consent of the guardians to the issuance of a passport, witnessed. The witnessing process forms a vital element of the identity and consent verification process for the Passport Service. It provides initial assurance that the person in the photograph is the same person submitting the passport application form and that the consent of guardians to a minor's application has been given.

First time adult applicants resident in Ireland must have their identity verification form signed by a member of An Garda Síochána. First time adult applicants living outside the State may choose from a broad range of suitable witnesses to verify their identity. A full list of acceptable witnesses can be found on my Department’s website: How to get your passport application witnessed - Department of Foreign Affairs (dfa.ie). This list names ‘elected public representatives’, which includes local councillors and those elected to the parliament of the United Kingdom.

The witness is required to provide a landline phone number. When processing the application, a Passport Service officer will place a call to the witness to verify the identity of the applicant. Mobile phone numbers are not accepted to ensure that the verification process remains robust and secure. If a Passport Service officer telephones a landline to verify the identity of an applicant and is unable to reach the witness at that time and during the call is offered a mobile number to reach the witness, discretion may be used on whether to contact the witness via the mobile telephone.

Full details on the witnessing process may be found on www.dfa.ie/passports/how-to-get-your-application-witnessed/.