Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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49. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of requests to expedite passports received by his office in each year from 2015 to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41195/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Passport Service is successfully meeting demand for passports this year and virtually all passports being issued on or, in many cases, well before their expected issue by date.

The Passport Service receives requests for applications to be expedited through a number of channels including through the Customer Service Hub, PQs, reps, and the Oireachtas line. The specific data requested by the Deputy is not available as such requests through multiple channels are not tracked by the Passport Service.

The Passport Service operates a general policy whereby applications can be expedited in cases of genuine emergency such as a need for urgent medical treatment overseas or the death of a family member abroad. Such applications are expedited through the Travel Emergency service.

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.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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50. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of persons who applied for passports, or passport renewals, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2025; and the number of passports issued in each of those years, in tabular form. [41215/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Passport Service is successfully meeting demand for passports this year and virtually all passports being issued on or before their expected issue by date.

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

With regard to the Deputy's question relating to the number of persons who applied for passports, including passport renewals, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2025, and the number of passports issued in each of those years, please see below in tabular form.

Table 1 – The number of total passport applications received for each year (2015 - 2025 to date)

Table 2 – Number of passports issued (2015 - 2025 to date)

In a given calendar year, the number of passports issued by the Passport Service may be higher than the number of passport applications received by the Passport Service. This difference can occur for two reasons: first, an application for a passport bundle (i.e. a passport book and passport card) is counted as one application but two travel documents are issued from that single bundle application, and secondly, an application may be made in the previous calendar year and issued in the following calendar year.

I would ask the Deputy to encourage his constituents who are travelling this year, particularly those with young children who require their first passport, to apply online and in plenty of time.