Noel McCarthy (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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27. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if any consideration is being given by the Minister to reducing the current passport processing time for the urgent passport renewal appointment service in the Cork Passport Office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38155/25]

Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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61. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline the long term plans for the Cork Passport Office; and if it is intended to provide additional services at the office. [38236/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 61 together.

The Passport Online service offers 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. Passport Online is a user-friendly, efficient service that is currently issuing the vast majority of adult renewal passports within 2 working days.

Over 93% of all passport applications are now made through Passport Online which is available to 99.9% of all applicants globally.

The public offices of the Passport Service in Cork and Dublin 2 operate an Urgent Appointment service for renewal applications. Our records show that just 1.6% of all passport applicants avail of the Urgent Appointment service. During 2024, there were an average of 240 urgent appointments for a four-day turnaround service available in Cork each week. In 2024, just 26% of appointments available in Cork were booked.

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.

To have a one-day turnaround in Cork Passport Office would involve purchasing another passport printer, which would be located in Cork.

The Passport Service estimates the initial capital cost of purchasing and installing new printer and mailing machine to be approximately €5.3 million. 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.

For these reasons, at the moment, a business case cannot be made to invest this level of funds to facilitate the very small proportion of applicants who may wish to have their passport renewed within one day in Cork.

Regarding the long-term plans of the Cork Passport Office, last year the Department worked with the Office of Public Works to identify new office building in Cork. Based on current timelines, the Passport Office will be operational in the new Passport Office building at 1 Navigation Square, Cork City by Autumn 2026.

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.