Passport application delays
Deputy Collins highlighted major passport delays, especially for first-time and child passports, and the pressure on constituency offices. The Tánaiste said renewals were moving quickly but there were still significant delays for new and child passports because of the surge in applications.
On behalf of the Rural Independent Group, I too wish Teresa Doolan the very best in her new role, as well as wishing Noel and Liam the very best in working with us going forward. I welcome Councillor Frankie Daly from Limerick, and the students from Limerick, to the House.
There is a massive issue in respect of passports. I presume that, like me, every Deputy, their constituency offices and staff are inundated with requests to get passports for people. For the past two years, people were unable to take a break or go on holiday. In some cases, infant children are now unable to get a passport for 40 days. If there is a small problem, the process goes on for two months. It is very unfair. Some people have cancelled their holidays. In one way, I cannot blame the Minister for Foreign Affairs for this problem because he has been very helpful with many cases, but there is a lack of staff in the Passport Office and that needs to be corrected. I would appreciate the Tánaiste addressing this matter.
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy. This is a significant issue coming through my constituency office as well as his. I presume all Deputies have the same experience. The situation with renewals is actually now pretty good. Renewals are happening quite fast. There are significant delays, however, with new passports and passports for children, particularly foreign-born children. Some of that is down to the work that has to be done before the passport can be approved. What has happened in simple terms is there has been a huge surge in passport applications and passport renewals. The staff of the Passport Office are working very hard. There are more of them than there used to be. There has been a big increase in staff. We are actually now producing more passports every week than ever was the case before but the pent-up demand or snap-back demand, if one likes, from the pandemic has put us in a difficult position in terms of both passports and work permits. We are putting lots of extra staff into those areas and we will get over the backlog at some point.