Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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228. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if consideration will be given to including the renewal reminder on online passport applications instead of the optional sign-up reminder on his Department's website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27221/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Passport Service takes every opportunity to remind citizens to check their passport validity. Each year the Passport Service proactively plans for the demand forecasted for the year ahead. Part of this planning involves an extensive public communications campaign to encourage citizens to apply through Passport Online in plenty of time for their passport prior to travel.

The Passport Service's programme of reform will continue throughout this year and next year, with the delivery of a number of highly complex and transformational projects that are necessary to future-proof service delivery, enhance the customer experience, ensure business continuity, and, crucially, safeguard the integrity of the Irish passport. Successful delivery of these projects will ensure that Ireland remains at the forefront of passport processing worldwide. Along with other upgrades to the Passport Service's systems in 2026, citizens applying for a passport for the first time or renewing their passport will be able to opt in to receive electronic communications, including passport expiry reminder notices, from the Passport Service.

This service will be opt-in for several reasons. As the Deputy will appreciate, the Department has a statutory obligation from a data protection perspective to only use personal data, which may include home addresses or email addresses, where it is satisfied the data is accurate and up-to-date and would, therefore, be precluded from automatically using addresses used for the dispatch of passports 10 years ago. Unlike car tax or travel insurance, adult passports expire every 10 years and individuals may have moved residence in the interim.

With regard to the Deputy’s query about streamlining, the Passport Service continually works to enhance the service and provide efficiencies for customers.

The Passport Reform programme will encompass the redesign and modernisation of the passport book and card, as well as the replacement of existing high-security printing machinery required for passport personalisation.