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TDS AND SENATORS have made close to 5,000 representations to the Passport Office on behalf of their constituents seeking passports in the last two years.
One minister has made close to 200 in the last two years.
TDs can make representations to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Passport Office on behalf of distressed constituents whose passport applications are taking longer than expected.
The Department of Foreign Affairs currently has a dedicated channel of communication for politicians and the Passport Office and is the dedicated point of contact for all representatives.
The system was established in the mid-90s, when there were long queues outside the passport offices in Dublin and Cork.
The practice of politicians making representations for individuals applying for passports has been criticised in the past, with talk of discontinuing the system of fast-tracking passport applications in 2008.
This followed on from controversy surrounding the then Taoiseach’s involvement in helping a businessman obtain a passport.
At the time, Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern ordered a full review of the system under which politicians could fast-track passport applications for constituents. However, the system is still in place.
The information released to TheJournal.ie under the Freedom of Information Act, shows that six TDs have made between 100 to 200 representations in the last two years.
Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan has made the most representations. Last year the Passport Office received 163 from the Cabinet minister, while up until the 27 April 33 had been received, totalling 196.
Fianna Fáil’s Pat the Cope Gallagher follows, having made 167 representations in the last two years – 112 in 2017 and 55 so far this year.
Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring made 94 in 2017 and 39 this year, totalling 133.
Fianna Fáil’s new deputy leader Dara Calleary has made a total of 130 representations. He made 96 representations on behalf of individuals last year and 34 this year to the end of April.
Donegal TD and Fianna Fáil TD Charlie McConalogue has made 115 representations – 79 last year and 39 this year.
Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae made close to 100 representations – 52 last year and 47 this year.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has made a total of 49 in the last two years – 23 in 2017 and 26 so far this year.
While a number of politicians were contacted for comment in relation to their figures, only Dara Calleary and Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher responded.
Calleary told TheJournal.ie that he gets queries all year around in relation to passports.
“People contact us in relation to passports for last minute family events, holidays, business trips etc.
“Our proximity to Ireland West Airport Knock and our physical distance from the passport office in Dublin are significant factors in the volume of passport related queries we get,” he said.
Gallagher said that since Brexit, there has been greater demand on his office to help out with passport applications.
Other people get in touch when they have been told their passport could take a number of weeks, he explained
“We, in turn, make representations on their behalf. We are not looking for any favourtism, it should be noted,” he said.
He said that over the years, he has made close to 1,000 representations, and defended the system, stating:
“All in all, it is a good system,” he added.
It is not only TDs that can make representations, members of the Seanad can to.
The senator most representations in the last two years is presidential hopeful, Gerard Craughwell.
Since 2017, he has made 76. This is followed by Senator Robbie Galleagher who has made 46, Senator Paddy Burke, who has made 40, and Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn who has made 39 in the last two years.
Over the last two years, senators have made 537 representations on behalf of individuals, while TDs have made 3,953.
In total, Irish politicians have made 4,490 representations to the Passport Office since 2017.
Other than the top TDs mentioned above, TDs who made over 40 representations include:
TDs who have made under three representations and under in the last two years include:
Senators who have made under three representations include, Maire Devine, Michael McDowell, Catherine Noonan, David Norris Mary Louise O’Donnell, Grace Sullivan, James Reilly, Lynn Ruane, and Fintan Warfield.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the dedicated channel of communication between Oireachtas members and the Passport Office is via the department.
It said this system “ensures consistency, efficiency and fairness” in responses to the queries of all public representatives.
Staff in the Passport Service in Mount Street, Dublin, handle correspondence from Oireachtas representatives, forwarded by the Minister’s office, alongside correspondence from the Passport Services’ other communication channels.
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196 representations by Charlie Flanagan alone? Doesn’t sound suspicious at all.
@Dj: He was Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade…
@Dj: obviously has the dumbest or laziest constituents whom can’t read an application forms criteria.
@iohanx: must be the which minister can you bring section!
They wouldn’t have to if the passport office would actually answer the phone and respond to email. I can understand that they’re understaffed but ignoring queries means more incomplete applications that must be sent back and time wasted.
We are not looking for any favourtism
then what else?
@steve white: this is a mainly about dumb people whom don’t plan when they want to travel. There are always emergencies, but there will always be dopes looking for assists
They probably work on a first come first serve basis so dealing with politicians requests just slows up the process for everyone else.
I sent my sons passport in at the start of April for a trip in oct . I sent it through passport express. Plenty of time . An unscheduled trip for family to the UK came up . The passport was gone six weeks and no one from the passport office could be contacted via email webchat or phone . I got on via webchat waiting for hours each time and they wouldn’t help , the last time I was told unless someone was dead with evidence my 3 year olds son passport wouldn’t be done .so I asked for help out of pure desperation . I got it with hours to spare . The passport office are v difficult to deal with .
Has John Waters got his passport yet?
@Larry Doyle: I think that gobsh*te had already made plans to move to Spain. Just an attention seeker!
And one was for me, so I could get a valid passport back that I send in to support an application, forgetting I was travelling, the staff were no help at all sent in 10 emails to no reply, calls on hold for upto an hour. Shocking customer support.
Such representations mean pure chronism and should be made explicitly illegal. Naming and shamimg is useful in the meantime though.
The Fine Gael and the Fianna Fáil boyos seem to have gone nuts on them altogether
Shouldn’t this be shifted to local councillors instead? And isn’t there an actual fast track system where you pay a bit more for the faster turn around?
@Oisín O’Connor:
I completed my application for a new passport on line and it was a 4 day turn around and i didnt have any need to contact my local TD’s thankfully
@RobbieL: ssshh! You’ll spoil the importance of TDS and Senators. Their public profile will disappear altogether if people look after their own affairs.
@RobbieL: yeah sure you did
Why would anyone want a passport to leave Ireland?
Funny how the 3,500 recently new “Irish Citizens” had no problem getting their passports, all had them to hand on the day to parade in front of the camera’s.
We need another two or three physical passport offices , in Galway & Sligo as examples. Also, automated renewals with pre scanned photos, renewal reminder notices automatically sent out by email, and arguably 15 year passports also ( I’ve not aged in 15 years at any rate…). Or add it to the functions of local government, arguably, despite their flaws.
The only reason FF/FG did so well in workingclass areas was promising medical cards for them. something they were entitled already.
Helping nobody has now been turned into a virtue by our new spiritual guides, media busybodies ?
that is how they get the votes that re-elect them….. it is a micro version of “stroke” politics whether it be passports or getting a pedestrian crossing or a street light or 1001 other things it is a “game” played to make it appear that your friendly TD has done you a favour….
There is a place for TDs and other elected officials to follow through on issues that affect constituents but there has to be a balance… and in this case maybe the people waiting for passports did have issues that needed speeding up over the longer waiting lists… who knows for sure
That’s all they are good for.
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