Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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33. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on passport applications and processing times presently; how many applications were processed to date in 2024; how many are outstanding and currently waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3052/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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47. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures to ensure that all passports applications are processed as speedily as possible in the coming months. [3217/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 47 and 60 together.

The Passport Service is successfully meeting high demand for passports. All turnaround times are at or well-ahead of target and there are no backlogs. Currently the majority of child online renewal applications are issuing within 6 days and online adult renewal applications are issuing within 2 working days. First-time online applications are being processed within 18-19 days.

The advertised turnaround times are as follows:

The Passport Online service offers Irish citizens the ability to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is a user-friendly, efficient service that consistently offers processing times up to 4 times faster than paper-based passport renewal applications.

Passport Online was rolled out to an additional 175 countries for first time applicants in 2023, meaning that 99.9% of all first-time and renewal applicants worldwide can apply now online.

Online enhancements rolled out last year have also simplified the process for first time applicants and especially children applying for their first passport.

The Passport Service is well-resourced to meet forecasted demand for 2024. My Department has implemented a staffing plan to ensure that excellent customer service is maintained throughout periods of peak demand. There are currently 800 staff working in the Passport Service and my Department is continuing to work to increase resources within the service.

Currently, 100% of calls to the Customer Service Hub are being answered and customers can easily access the information they need through the Hub. The Customer Service Hub responds to an average of 10,000 queries per week.

In 2023, the Passport Service was ranked 18th out of 150 public-facing organisations in a survey conducted by the Customer Experience (CX) group. This ranking recognised the Passport Service as the best customer service brand in the public sector. In addition, the Customer Service Hub in the Passport Service was shortlisted for the “Best Customer Service Team” award at the 2023 Customer Experience Awards.

The public offices of the Passport Service in Dublin 2 and in Cork operate a four-day Urgent Appointment service for renewal applicants. The Dublin office also offers a one-day Urgent Appointment service.

2024 is expected to be another busy year for the Passport Service and the Passport Service is in an excellent position to meet the demand forecasted for this year.

I would ask the Deputies to encourage their constituents to apply for their passports through Passport Online, as the quickest, easiest and most cost effective way to apply for a passport.

The figures requested by Deputy Smyth are outlined in tabular form below.

Passport figures as of 22 January 2024