Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Passport Service within my Department operates two public offices, one at Knockmaun House, Mount St Lower in Dublin 2 and the second at the South Mall in Cork City. There have been no additional offices opened over the past three years. There are currently no plans to open any further passport offices.

The Passport Online service which was introduced in 2017 offers Irish citizens the ability to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This award-winning service has allowed for the centralisation of passport processing and has resulted in greater efficiencies for our citizens and for the Passport Service. Overall, Passport Online is a user-friendly, efficient service that consistently offers processing times up to 4 times faster than paper-based passport renewal applications.

Over 90% of all passport applications are made through Passport Online which is now available to 99.9% of all applicants across the world.

The public offices of the Passport Service in Dublin 2 and in Cork operate a four day Urgent Appointment service for renewal applications. The Dublin office also offers a one-day Urgent Appointment service. Less than 1% of all applicants use the Urgent Appointment service in cases where they urgently need to renew their passport.

The overwhelming majority of passport applicants apply online and well over half of all adult online renewal applications are approved within 2 days. All passport turnaround times are at, or earlier than their target level and there are no backlogs.

Given the small number of applicants who use the Urgent Appointment service and taking into account the significant cost of locating and running an additional passport office, a business case cannot currently be made for establishing an additional passport office on the island of Ireland. I am satisfied overall that the current Passport Online service and production capacity meets the needs of passport applicants and the Passport Service will continue to consider ways in which to enhance this essential citizen service.