Questions

257. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether any formal data-sharing or digital integration project is underway between the Passport Service and the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration aimed at streamlining verification processes for first-time passport applications; and if so, the current status and projected implementation timeline. [39239/26]

258. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether the Passport Service records the percentage of first-time passport applications requiring escalation beyond standard workflow processes; and if so, to provide annual figures for each year since 2020. [39240/26]

264. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 12 of 6 May 2026, if passport applicants who hold a gender recognition certificate issued under the Gender Recognition Act 2015 and who are resident in Northern Ireland or overseas are required to provide two years' proof of use of their new name when applying for a passport (whether as first-time or rene…

8. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she intends to open a passport office in the North of Ireland. [37792/26]

24. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to set out in detail the measures being undertaken by her Department to ensure there is sufficient staff in passport services, given that a spike in volume of passport applications received by passport services occurs during the summer months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38308/26]

25. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her views on the requirement for widowed parents to submit death certificates and sworn affidavits each time their child’s passport is to be renewed; if there are plans to amend this requirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38392/26]

26. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current average processing times for passport applications, particularly for first-time applicants; the extent of any recent delays being experienced; the measures being implemented to improve turnaround times and ensure applications are processed within target timelines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38310/26]

48. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will consider reviewing and reducing the current reprocessing timeline of passport applications (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38309/26]

74. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the modernisation and efficiency improvements of passport and consular services, as detailed in the DFAT Departmental Action Plan 2026; the way in which these improvements will benefit citizens in rural areas such as County Offaly, including access to services and processing times; and if she will make a statement on the matt…

77. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if her Department is aware of difficulties encountered by widowed and single parents in renewing their child’s passport; and if her Department is preparing to take action to ensure these parents are supported. [38319/26]

79. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her views on the merits of creating a mechanism within children’s Irish passports that would allow for the inclusion of a connection to their parents in cases where they do not share the same surname to allow for ease of transit through passport control; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37226/26]

81. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of urgent passport renewal appointments facilitated at the Cork, Dublin and London passport offices in each of the years 2024, 2025, and to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38219/26]

84. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her views on the merits of creating a mechanism within Irish passports that would allow for the inclusion of a connection to a passport holder’s children in cases where they do not share the same surname to allow for ease of transit through passport control; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37227/26]

157. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a passport will be expedited in the case of a person (details supplied). [38458/26]

159. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she has received representations from an organisation in relation to the requirement by the Passport Office for renewal applications for passports for children of a deceased parent/guardian; if she will consider reviewing these arrangements so that these documents are required only for the original passport application; and if she will make …

160. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will review the requirement for widowed or bereaved parents to resubmit death certificates and sworn affidavits each time a child's passport is renewed; if she will consider introducing a once off verification system in order that these documents are only provided once unless family circumstances change; and if she will make a statement…

167. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will review the case of a person (details supplied); if the passport application could be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38702/26]

2. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will review the case of a person (details supplied); if the passport application will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37947/26]

3. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a passport will be issued to a person (details supplied).; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37949/26]

11. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if consideration has been given or will be given to a once-off verification process so that in the case where one parent of a child dies, their surviving partner is only required to submit documents such as a death certificate once in the case of a child's passport renewals, rather than each time a renewal is required; and if she will make a s…

12. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the training in place to support the Garda with applicants who wish to use passport paper forms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38097/26]

27. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her plans to change the current photograph acceptance process for online passport applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38293/26]

31. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she is aware of the requirement for widowed parents to repeatedly submit bereavement documentation, including death certificates and sworn affidavits, for each renewal of a child's passport; if she will consider introducing a once-off verification process whereby such documentation would only need to be provided once unless family circumstanc…

269. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will review passport renewal requirements for widowed parents who must repeatedly submit bereavement documentation for their children's passports; if she will introduce a once-off verification system for such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36989/26]

274. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if her Department will examine the introduction of a system whereby bereavement documents need only be submitted once (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37115/26]