Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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83. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on matters relating to the Passport Office (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26152/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Passport Service has issued over 600,000 passports to date in 2024, and the Customer Service Hub has responded to over 250,000 queries this year. Virtually all complete passport applications are being processed within or before advertised turnaround times and there are no backlogs.

The Passport Service takes its responsibility to protect the integrity of the Irish passport very seriously. The Irish passport has a strong international reputation due to the strength of the security features within the passport book and the robust processes involved in its issuance. The Irish passport was recently ranked 2nd in the Henley Global Passport Index as it provides our citizens with visa-free access to 193 countries.

Accordingly, there is a rigorous checking process in place for first time applications. The witnessing of passport forms is a vital element of the identity verification process for the Passport Service, as it provides initial assurance that the person in the photograph is the same person submitting the passport application form. In the case of children, it is essential that the Passport Service verifies the consent of the child’s guardians before a passport can issue. This ensures that the Passport Service protects the integrity of the passport itself and the rights of the child and their guardians.

There are certain passport applications for first time applicants resident in Ireland that require forms to be witnessed by a member of An Garda Síochána. Forms required to be witnessed by a member of An Garda Síochána include:

• Certificate of Identity on Post Passport (paper) applications (section 8 and 9 of the application form)• Identity Verification Forms for First time adult online applications• Child Identity and Consent Forms for First time child online applications

For each application that requires a Garda witness, the Passport Service calls the relevant Garda station to confirm that the Garda witness recorded the witnessed form in the station logbook. Passport Service staff will call the relevant Garda station up to three times to verify the Garda's signature. Where the Passport Service cannot reach the Garda station, there is a system in place whereby the Passport Service contacts the relevant Superintendent’s Office to verify the details. There is no requirement for the Passport Service to speak to the witnessing Garda as long as the Garda Station can confirm the record of the form being witnessed in the station logbook.

It is not the experience of the Passport Service that there are widespread issues in the system of witnessing passport applications by An Garda Síochána generally, or in particular, causing applications to need new witnessed forms. It is not possible to provide the numbers of applications rejected because the witness on the consent form could not be verified, as the Passport Service does not track the numbers of rejections based on that specific criterion.

The ongoing programme of Passport Service Reform focuses on the future of service delivery by continuing to identify and implement projects to enhance the customer experience and provide for business continuity while maintaining the integrity of the Irish passport.

The Passport Service continually works to enhance the service to provide further efficiencies for customers. A number of improvements were made to the passport online platform in 2023. These include a customised list of the supporting documents required for first-time applicants and a new integration feature with the General Register Office. This integration benefits a significant cohort of first-time child applicants, who are no longer required to submit a physical birth certificate. These upgrades help to reduce the administrative burden for applicants. Since last year, over 81,000 birth certificates have been digitally received by the Passport Service from the GRO.

Customer Service Hub officers are the first port of call for citizens when they call the Passport Service. Hub officers are trained to assist applicants with their queries, and to escalate queries to supervisors if they are unable to assist.

The Customer Service Hub is currently responding to an average of 3,000 calls and webchats on a daily basis. Given the volume, it is not always possible to transfer an applicant directly to a supervisor the moment they are on the line. If a supervisor is unable to speak with the applicant immediately, Hub officers are requested to take the applicant’s contact details and escalate these to a supervisor. A supervisor will review the call-back request, and endeavours to make the call back within a 48 hr timeframe.

In 2023, the Passport Service was ranked 18th out of 150 public-facing organisations in a survey conducted by the Customer Experience (CX) group. This ranking recognised the Passport Service as the best customer service brand in the public sector. In addition, the Customer Service Hub in the Passport Service was shortlisted for the “Best Customer Service Team” award at the 2023 Customer Experience Awards.

The Passport Service has a formal complaints procedure that provides customers an opportunity to give feedback on the quality of the service they receive. The Passport Service is committed to providing a high quality, effective service to all of our customers and welcomes feedback on how the service can be improved.

Customers can submit a complaint in writing to: Passport Complaints, Knockmaun House, 42-47, Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2, D02 TN83, or online: ppscomplaints.dfa.ie/complaints-welcome/.

The Passport Service aims to resolve complaints as promptly as possible. Each complaint is examined upon receipt and acknowledged. The complaint will then be investigated and a response issued in writing. If customers remain unhappy with the response, they can refer their complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Complaints received to date by the Passport Service make up just 0.4% of all applications processed this year.

Further details of the Passport Service complaints procedure can be found on our website - Ireland.ie/PassportFeedback.

The public offices of the Passport Service in Dublin 2 and in Cork operate a four-day Urgent Appointment service for renewal applicants. The Dublin office also offers a one-day Urgent Appointment service.

Renewal applicants who have already submitted a passport application either through Passport Online or Post Passport can book an urgent appointment and visit the Passport Office to apply for a passport. Once a passport has been issued, their original application will be cancelled and the fee will be refunded. First time applications are too complex to process at a public counter as they are essentially verifications of Irish citizenship.

Further information on the Urgent Appointment service for renewal applicants is available at www.ireland.ie/PassportAppointment

In the event of an emergency such as a sudden bereavement or serious illness of a family member abroad, the applicant should contact the Passport Office and advise them of the issue. Priority is given to these applications by the Passport Service and the Travel Emergency service is available to all applicants whether they are first-time or renewal applicants.

The Passport Service is well staffed, with a total of 839 staff currently, and is in an excellent position to deliver the demand forecast during the busy summer season. I would ask the Deputy to encourage her constituents to apply online for the quickest, cheapest and most efficient service.