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First-time passports are currently taking over a month to be processed, which the Department of Foreign Affairs says is significantly faster than waiting times earlier this year.
The data was released as a response to a Parliamentary Question by Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Murchú.
“As of 23 May 2022, there were 58,400 online passport applications in the Passport Service system for children aged thirteen and under,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney in response.
According to Coveney, there have been over 500,000 passports issued so far in 2022, compared to 634,000 issued across the whole of 2021.
Coveney said that “99% of all child and adult online renewal applications are issued within the standard turnaround time”, however first-time passport applications are for children and adults are taking longer due to the amount of work required before a passport can be approved.
He said that processing times are down compared to earlier this year, and he expects them to fall again early next month.
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“Since March, processing times for first time applications have already been reduced by 25% and applications now take 30 working days rather than 40 days,” said Coveney.
“From Monday 6 June, it is hoped that, based on current trends, this processing time will decrease yet again to 25 working days for first time applications.”
Speaking to The Journal, Ó Murchú said that he understands that work needs to be completed before applications can be approved, but that short term fixes around other issues need to be solved.
“We all know that there has to be due diligence, particularly around first time child passports,” said Ó Murchú.
However, he said that there had been issues after children get their parental consent forms signed and witnessed by Gardaí, particularly regarding part-time Garda stations.
He said if the Passport Office is unable to reach the Garda station they are only authorised to call between two and three times before the process must be restarted.
Ó Murchú said that a new electronic system was needed to record Garda witnesses, to ensure that information is not available to the Passport Office.
There is currently a major recruitment drive ongoing within the Passport Office, with staffing numbers set to be brought over 900, double that of June 2021.
“I know the Minister prioritised this and staff are currently being recruited but we need to consider an immediate temporary redeployment of staff,” said Devlin.
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My lord is anything working in this place, the country needs a complete reshuffle from top to bottom… Department after department being run by people who quite honestly do not seem to have a clue what they are doing…
Year on year it gets worse, government depts seem to be systematically inept or ran by incompetent people with little or no over sight, but that’s normal, what isn’t is the general publics sudden amnesia come election time. You get what you voted for, every 4 years you get the chance. Cue the triggered FFG bootlickers….
@Epgenetics29 Declan Christy: it was a 10 day passport express thing pre covid. And will be again when the dust settles. You need to relax. Cue the shinners jackboot lickers.
@Epgenetics29 Declan Christy: Why always the blame on public and civil servants? The people who do all the dirty work at the civil service are largely a dedicated and hard working work force (as hard as their private sector counterparts anyways). It’s the way things are managed and the way the government is run, and the amount of bureaucracy and red tape involved in changing absolutely anything, that has many services the way they are. Let me also remind you that civil servants have barely received a pay increase in the last ten years, yet inflation and the cost of living has been through the roof the last few years, a great way to retain talent.
@Tomo: the Health service has the biggest ever budget provided by the state. Yet the problems still persist, minister and governments come and go yet civil servants are still there so it doesn’t take a genius to figure out where the problems are.
@Betty O Sullivan: 4 months should be plenty of time for a first time passport and yet, here I am. Still waiting. Different answers from different agents all the time. Our photo was refused the first time because she was smiling. Imagine that lol. A 16 month old must have a neutral expression WHILE looking at the camera. It’s absolute NONSENSE.
@Betty O Sullivan: By the way, it isn’t a “FANCY” holiday for 95% of these people. I have scrimped and saved arse ways with my husband to be able to afford a holiday. These families have sacrificed and suffered enough over the last 2 years.
@Scarletrose: Fulling expecting an issue with my 3 week old babys photo. Next to Impossible to meet their out dated requirements especially where the Child is so young.
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