Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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66. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether same-day-turnaround services will be provided through the Cork Passport Office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4484/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Passport Online service allows citizens to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Passport Online is an award-winning, user-friendly, efficient service that consistently offers processing times up to four times faster than paper-based passport renewal applications.

In 2024 over 93% of passport applications were made through Passport Online, which is available to 99.9% of applicants globally.

The Passport Service operates three passport book printing machines: two machines are located in the main production facility at the Balbriggan campus and the third machine is located in the Dublin 2 Passport Office. The printing and dispatch of passports is a highly automated process in what is, essentially, an industrial production system.

The Passport Service estimates the initial capital cost of purchasing and installing a new printer and mailing machine to be approximately €6 million. The machines themselves cost over €3m. In addition to this, the infrastructure required to install and operate these machines is considerable and includes structural work to the building where they are located. The installation of the machines and provision of the related infrastructure is estimated to cost an additional €3m.

In addition to the capital investment, these highly sophisticated machines require expert engineers to be on-site while the machines are in operation to maintain and service the machines and repair them when necessary. The running and maintenance costs alone are is estimated to be €600,000 per year.

The public offices of the Passport Service in Cork, and Dublin 2, operate a four-day Urgent Appointment service for renewal applications. During 2024, there were 240 urgent appointments available, on average, in Cork each week. In 2024, 26% of appointments available in Cork were booked.

In 2024, less than 1% of all passports were issued through the one-day Urgent Appointment service available in Dublin 2. In light of this, serious consideration would need to be given to investing this level of funds to facilitate the very small proportion of applicants who wish to have their passport renewed within one day in Cork.

I am satisfied that the current Passport Online service and production capacity meets the needs of passport applicants. The Passport Service will continue to consider ways in which to enhance this essential citizen service.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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67. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when the new passport design will be in place; if the procurement process has been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4485/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Irish passport is a crucial document that represents the Irish State and grants visa-free access to over 190 destinations worldwide. With the current design over a decade old, a redesign is essential to maintain the passport’s security, integrity, and global reputation.

As part of this redesign, the Passport Service conducted a public consultation inviting citizens to share their thoughts and preferences. This engagement aimed to inform key design elements while fostering a sense of national connection to the next-generation passport. Over 15,000 responses were received, offering valuable insights that are now shaping the new design. Among the top selections from the public were the Irish Wolfhound and the Shamrock, which, along with other native flora and fauna, will feature prominently in the updated passport. The full consultation results can be viewed at www.ireland.ie/en/irish-passport-redesign-consultation-results/.

To bring the new design to life, the Passport Service is collaborating with secure document designers AG2. A preliminary sketch of the Irish Wolfhound was unveiled last March, marking a key milestone in translating public input into a cohesive and secure design.

The procurement for the production of the new passport books and cards and the provision of the personalisation machinery is now complete. Following a competitive and robust tender process, SKSC were selected as the successful tenderer in December 2024 and have been awarded the contract.

The next generation passport is anticipated to launch in Q2 2026.