The Minister, Deputy Lawless, is most welcome to Seanad Éireann. I thank him for being here for the first Commencement matter, which is by an Seanadóir Curley.
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
Third Level Admissions
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht teacht isteach inniu don rud thar a bheith tábhachtach seo. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, RCSI, states that the HPAT has no validity and no predictive validity on future attainment in medical courses. The issue is the validity of the HPAT as an entrance exam to medical courses in Ireland. It is the only example we have of a State exam where young boys outperform young girls, the reason being it was a 1960s construct created by men for predominantly young private school boys who would go on to do medicine in college. It also, unfortunately, favours those who have the financial means to pay for tuition. There is a huge amount of evidence that those who get tuition before they sit their HPAT exam do significantly better when they sit it.
There are alternatives. The RCSI takes in, on average, approximately 400 students every year. Some 300 of those are international students who sit situational judgment tests and multiple mini interviews. That is already carried out in this country. The situational judgment test is a really good one. It tests interpersonal skills. In the modern day, it beggars belief that we do not have a system whereby we interview people to test their interpersonal skills before they go on to do one of the most important jobs anyone could ever do, which is to be a medical doctor or dentist, or any job where one has to communicate with patients in order to ascertain the best outcomes for them. The situational judgment test is the best predictor globally of a student's future medical performance. There is a company that provides it in Ireland. It is globally recognised as the best way of predicting future medical performance. In terms of the overall rationale for this, there are two main reasons we should do it. The first is equality of educational access and the second is that, inevitably, it would lead to a higher quality of doctors being available for us in this country, whom we would have to try to retain. I am very interested in the Minister’s views on whether or can move to a more modern way of doing the entrance exams.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Curley as an tairiscint seo a thabairt isteach. Is ábhar tábhachtach é cinnte. I thank Senator Curley for raising this important matter regarding the HPAT exams and access to medicine more broadly. I acknowledge at the outset that there are very real pressures on students who aspire to study medicine and other very competitive healthcare disciplines. They are competitive courses and I recognise the concerns of students and their families regarding preparedness, access and the pathways available to them. I also recognise that the available supply of medical places continues to fall below demand and that, of course, creates intense competition and pressure on the system. There is an issue in that students can attain a very high level of academic performance and yet still fail to gain entry to their preferred place. The Senator raised a very important point regarding there being many different types of intelligence and purely academic focus not necessarily being the best indicator. There are other aptitudes that should be considered when weighing up entry to courses such as this.
As Minister, I am committed to ensuring we have an admissions system that is fair, transparent and robust, and equally to continuing to expand opportunities so that more students can pursue this type of place in the first place. In other words, we are increasing the number of course places available, including in the University of Galway, the University of Limerick, the technological universities and other places, on medical, pharmaceutical, veterinary and other professional courses which are subject to high competition for points.
The HPAT itself is independently administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research on behalf of the medical school. It is devolved to that organisation. Neither I nor my Department is involved in its operation because it is independent. However, I am aware that there have been concerns raised about the exam and procedure. I have listened to those concerns and I have spoken to the institutions about them. The institutions themselves have raised these issues and there are changes proposed for entry to medicine from 2027 on, which will include a rebalancing of the weight placed on leaving certificate results and HPAT performance. That is something the Senator is absolutely correct about needing to be done. It is something the institutions and I have taken note of and it is being worked on. The proposed changes will reduce the emphasis on the intensive HPAT preparation and refocus more strongly on leaving certificate achievement, keeping that assessment of aptitude as a marker in line with international best practice.
These changes will be of some assistance. The first year will be 2027 and we will continue to watch that space.
More broadly, I am commissioning a task force on CAO reform and what I call broad education, which means we are looking at a broad education where a student will be exposed to a variety of disciplines and subjects across arts and humanities, science and technology rather than just having a single deep dive into a particular area from day one. It is important that students have this more classical education, certainly in the early stages. I am commissioning a task force on that, which will allow Ireland to explore broader entry models in some disciplines, including the opportunity to build that wider foundation before specialising. I am also going to continue providing alternative access points into higher education with things like tertiary degrees where a student can attend a course locally for the first year or two before moving on to a more traditional university setting.
There are a number of measures under way in this space. I thank the Senator for his consistent interest in this area. I know he is the spokesperson for our party on this and he frequently raises these matters. I thank him for his contributions to developing policy in that area.
It is good news in one way that there is acknowledgement from the Department that there is an issue with the entrance exam system. I welcome that. The only bad news from the response is that the only thing worse than the HPAT is the leaving certificate. They are going to rebalance with more focus on the leaving certificate results than on the HPAT. There is a matrix called Cronbach's alpha - I discussed this with Dr. Muirne Spooner in the RCSI - that is used to test the validity of high-stakes exams that have strong consequences. The HPAT is one of the lowest scoring exams that can go through that system. They cannot even test the validity of the leaving certificate. It is so bad they cannot even put it through the matrix. I would be nervous about moving away from the balancing to rebalance more favourably on the leaving certificate than the HPAT because it is the worst type of exam. I have a bugbear with it and am trying to get rid of it in its entirety but that is a long project. In the meantime, that is the one concern I have with the response. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire.
That is a fair point. The Senator wants changes for the better, which is reasonable. The institutions have identified this issue. I have spoken to them about how the HPAT, for the reasons the Senator mentioned, is not necessarily the best valve with which to manage entry into these professions. They are refocussing on the leaving certificate, and I appreciate the issues he has raised with that. It is part of a wider rebalancing in having identified issues with the HPAT and how it was being leveraged. Perhaps it was intended to create fairness but it is having the opposite effect in some cases. That is one of the reasons they are rowing back on it.
I will take on board the Cronbach's alpha programme. It is something I can feed into. I have established that task force on broader education, which will look more widely at CAO reform, entry points into higher education, whether there is too much emphasis placed on a single exam, and when the students take up their place whether they can have that broader range of disciplines available to them. That will reduce pressure points in a general sense but will also provide an opportunity for students to sample different types of disciplines and have that greater familiarity before they make a move. That in itself will be a form of aptitude testing in the early stages. I will ask the commission to include the Senator's suggestions on Cronbach's alpha as part of that review.
I welcome guests of the Minister of State, Kieran O'Donnell, and of Deputy Mary Lou McDonald to the Gallery. They are all welcome.
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
I welcome the Minister of State and acknowledge the good work he has been doing in the Department. I raise an issue of enormous importance to rural communities across County Cavan, which is the future of our small primary schools and the need for greater investment in teaching posts and reduced class sizes. As a former primary school teacher, INTO branch chair and a regular delegate to INTO congress, this is an issue close to my heart. I first entered Seanad Éireann in 1989 with an INTO nomination on the cultural and educational panel and because of that background I understand the challenges facing teachers, pupils and school communities today.
I have been contacted by teachers and local communities that are deeply concerned about the future of schools, such as Corlea National School in the east of County Cavan and Coronea National School in a more central area of the county. These schools are classic examples that are much more than places of education. They are at the heart of their communities. The Irish National Teachers Organisation has highlighted the growing pressures facing primary education. According to figures confirmed by the Department of Education and Youth, 419,823 children, approximately 80% of all primary school pupils, are currently in classes above the EU average size of 16 pupils. In addition, 996 teaching posts remain unfilled while 7,864 substitute teaching positions are being covered by personnel who are not fully qualified teachers.
Having made that point, I acknowledge at this juncture that consistently over the past ten or 15 years, this and previous Governments have been reducing the pupil-teacher ratio. That is not a reason not to want to make further progress, but it is important to acknowledge that it has consistently been the case in the worst of times. These figures I have cited should concern all of us. They highlight the urgent need to reduce the teacher-pupil ratio in our classrooms. As a former teacher, I know that a smaller class size allows for more individual attention, earlier intervention when difficulties arise and better outcomes. The INTO has called for the recruitment for 1,000 additional primary teachers in budget 2027. At its core, this proposal is about reducing the teacher-pupil ratio. Every additional teacher means more support for pupils, particularly those with additional needs, and less pressure on already stretched staff.
The challenge is particularly acute in rural Ireland to keep small schools open. Under current Department of education staffing arrangements, a small drop in enrolment can result in the loss of a teacher post. That is the kernel for these small schools that are the at the heart of their communities, like Corlea and Coronea, which have multigrade and combined classes. It is important that is sorted out. I ask the Minister of State to examine greater flexibility within the staffing allocation system for small rural schools, and to give serious consideration to an INTO proposal for 1,000 additional primary teachers in this budget. Fundamentally, flexibility would matter a lot there. Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, whether they attend school in Dublin city centre or a rural school in County Cavan. Reducing the teacher-pupil ratio should be a national priority. We have a responsibility to ensure that schools such as the ones I cited continue to provide the attention, support and quality education that every child deserves.
I thank the Senator and I appreciate the question. Budget 2026 provides for a total of €13.1 billion investment in the Department of Education and Youth services. That is a 7% increase on last year. The budget provides for an increase of €845 million in core funding for education and youth on the figure allocated for 2025, while the total investment figure also includes €1.6 billion allocated for 2026 as part of the National Development Plan 2026-2030.
This funding reflects the Government's continued commitment under the programme for Government to ensure every child and young person can learn, thrive and reach their full potential. It builds on the progress made in recent years while recognising that further work is needed to make education more inclusive and equitable for all.
Teacher numbers at primary level have reached their highest-ever level in the current school year. Currently, there are over 43,000 teaching posts allocated across the primary school system. This represents an increase of just over 5,000 teachers compared with the figure for the 2019–20 school year, and this has led to a steady improvement in the pupil–teacher ratio and average class sizes during this period.
In recent budgets, priority was given to reducing the pupil–teacher ratio in primary schools, which brought the teacher allocation ratio to an average of one classroom teacher for every 23 pupils in all primary schools, the most favourable ratio ever seen at primary level. A three-point reduction in the retention schedule, which was introduced in 2021, assists schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts.
The DEIS urban band 1 schools, including DEIS plus schools, receive additional allocations of 17:1, 20:1 and 19:1 for junior, senior and vertical schools, respectively. The latest figures on the pupil–teacher ratio show an improved ratio of pupils to teachers, from 15:1 to 12:1 at primary level, when comparing the 2019–20 school year with the 2024–25 school year. The average EU pupil–teacher ratio is 15:1. This includes all teachers allocated to a school as a ratio of the number of pupils enrolled in that school. The difference arises from the allocation of special education teachers, home school liaison teachers and other teachers who are not mainstream classroom teachers in schools. While these teachers provide valuable supports in school, they do not impact on class sizes. In the same five-year period, the primary staffing schedule improved from 26:1 to 23:1, and average class sizes at primary school have improved from 24 to 22.
The Government has significantly invested in schools and in our teacher workforce over recent years. The programme for Government commits to making further progress in this area, with an aim of reducing the general pupil–teacher ratio at primary level to 19:1 over the term of the Government.
I take the points the Senator has raised on the pupil–teacher ratio. In this regard, I have outlined one of the key goals. In the Senator's opening comments, she said a lower pupil–teacher ratio improves outcomes for children. The Government is constantly asking how we can make things better for children going through primary school and post-primary school. As with all elements of education, the aim is to equip them with the best tools they can have for entry into adulthood, when their school education ends. The education system is crucial in this regard. I take the Senator's points, but I might respond on the staffing schedule in my closing statement.
I thank the Minister of State. I acknowledge and appreciate both his presence and the very positive nature of his response. I also acknowledge the progress made.
Let me make a little human aside. I spoke about my attendance at INTO congresses down the years. An excellent delegate attending those conferences with me on many a day was the dad of Senator Nessa Cosgrove, who will be speaking later.
He was a big fan of the Senator's.
He was a very distinguished Irish National Teachers Organisation member and delegate. That emphasises how young Senator Cosgrove still is.
To go back to the point, I acknowledge progress but we need more. What I am asking is that we have a commitment to, and practical implementation in the next budget in respect of, a further reduction in class sizes, with an emphasis on the training and recruitment of teachers to fill vacant posts, because there is a real lacuna in the number of available teachers. We should not have substitution all the time, using untrained personnel in many instances. Could we consider how we accommodate the small schools in rural Ireland and build in flexibility, while not going to ridiculous levels, obviously? Nobody is suggesting that. It is a matter of how we build in sensible flexibility that would maintain our small schools. I am aware that this subject is close to the Minister of State's heart.
I thank the Senator. The first point was on the progress being made on the pupil–teacher ratio and how we are going to continue that progress in the lifetime of the Government, in line with the commitment in the programme for Government. The challenges with the staffing schedule go back many years and relate to the enrolment number on 30 September. We have to have very clear guidance on the staffing schedule. I see the merit in flexibility where schools are just shy of the requirement by one pupil or whatever, but, to operate the entire education system with its 43,000 primary school teachers, we have to be very mindful that the 30 September numbers are built into the pupil-teacher ratios, and we have to work to them.
The other point the Senator made was on teacher training. Thankfully, a huge number of people are still willing to study education in teacher training colleges. That builds on the great education system we have and the teachers who have worked within it over many generations and have yielded enormous benefits for Ireland Inc. Thankfully, there are young people who are quite willing to regard teaching as a career, and long may that continue.
Yes, I understand the issue affecting small rural schools, but it is important to note that numbers are also an issue in some urban schools. I take the Senator's points and will reflect very carefully on them as we go into the budget cycle, which started a number of weeks ago. Our commitment in the programme for Government is very clear on where we need to get to in terms of education.
Departmental Programmes
I welcome the opportunity today to raise the matter of the future funding for Kilkenny LEADER Partnership and, indeed, all local development companies and networks across the country. I acknowledge the incredible work of Kilkenny LEADER through the LEADER programme and also through social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, funding. Every day, it supports rural businesses, helps people to enter employment, provides education and training opportunities, and does a huge amount of work strengthening social and cultural integration within our communities. It is often the first place people turn to when they need practical support. LEADER has had some really exceptional success on the ground in crucial community development.
With that in mind, there is a lot of uncertainty about future funding. The EU's decision to remove the ring-fencing obligation has raised questions and worries about what the future of LEADER will look like. The Local Development Companies Network, LDCN, is worried that the integration of LEADER funding into broader CAP funding will see a decrease in the dedicated ring-fenced budget, which may lead to greatly reduced programming in rural and traditionally isolated communities.
While discussions continue at EU level on the next multi-annual financial framework, on which we will obviously be highly engaged in our capacity during the EU Presidency, and on the future of the LEADER programme beyond 2028, we need to be very clear about what this is going to look like for programming at home. The ultimate decision on how Ireland chooses to fund rural and community development is made by the Irish Government, regardless of the decision around ring-fencing that happens in Brussels.
The current allocation is €180 million for five years and it does not meet existing needs. The LDCN is requesting a return to pre-austerity funding of around €450 million. Could the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, comment on what funding commitment will be made towards this in the next budget and on SICAP funding? SICAP has an exceptional track record in tackling disadvantage, supporting employment, reducing exclusion and fostering integration in communities in Kilkenny and beyond.
Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I know he is well aware of all the LEADER programmes and the great work they do. I listened to "Morning Ireland" this morning where the Taoiseach was unable to give a straight answer not only about where the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, funding is going to be spent but also in respect of LEADER projects. The local development companies are particularly vulnerable within the overall CAP budget. The Minister of State knows the amazing work they do on the ground to address poverty and to promote economic development and social inclusion. It is hard for those programmes to plan if the money is not going to be ring-fenced. The MEPs in the Minister of State's party have been engaged on this. All parties have been committed to this. I would love to know what commitment we can give. Even if it is not within the CAP budget, is money going to be ring-fenced?
There is also the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, budget. Is the new community and new arrivals portion of that budget going to remain in place? Whether we like it or not, is it going to stay in place? The SICAP budget usually comes quite late. For local development companies, the SICAP budget arrives quite late, but because there is this additional new arrivals fund, they were able to manage the fund themselves. However, if that new arrivals money is not going to be there, when is the money going to be given to SICAP? Can we be sure of a date?
There are real concerns that there is a move towards military spending. It is not just LEADER companies. The Minister of State knows this. The Sligo and Leitrim LEADER programmes provide amazing opportunities, as do the programmes across the country. However, there is a worry that the CAP budget is going to decrease and will go towards more militarisation.
I thank the Senators for raising this important matter. I am not going to reveal the budgetary process because we have not yet got to that point. The point made by Senator Cosgrove in the context of spending on military alliances and defence has happened across Europe. It is something to which we cannot close our eyes, in particular on the eastern flank. As the Taoiseach said in the Dáil yesterday, we are a peripheral nation that is a bit removed from what is happening with Russia.
Having said that, I will also say that last year in our Department, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I secured a record €11 million in the budget for SICAP and the LEADER programme, which are two of the key interventions delivered as part of the ongoing Government investment in our communities. I share the regard of the Senators for the extraordinary, Trojan work being done. It is about strengthening, empowering and enabling communities and, in particular, new, diverse and inclusive communities across our country. The Minister and I have worked hand in glove on this matter. We have seen across the country, as the Senators know well, the real and tangible benefits that are being delivered.
Elected representatives in this House know the work being done. We see it in our own areas but we also see it across the country. The LEADER programme has been at the heart of the development of rural Ireland for the past 35 years. It is the key element of our Department’s rural development investment programme. Both the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I are committed in the budgetary process to keeping that momentum going. Under the current four-year LEADER programme, €180 million is available to rural communities across our country. To date, local action groups have approved over 1,300 projects, valued at over €64 million. I look forward, with the Minister, to seeing those projects come to fruition across the country in the coming months and years. As the Senators rightly said, LEADER is funded under the CAP and, therefore, the development of the EU regulations relating to the post-2027 CAP and the new national and regional partnership plan is a matter of significant importance to our Department and to the Minister and me. Within the draft regulations, the continuation of the LEADER programme as a CAP intervention is welcomed.
I appreciate and acknowledge contributions made by the Senators, and those many members of my own party and others have made, to the effect that the changes are causing uncertainty. I get it, as I travel the country the whole time. As part of the ongoing negotiation process - I have travelled to Poznań in Poland and the Minister, Deputy Calleary, has been at the Council of Ministers meeting - our Department has consistently emphasised at every opportunity the importance of a ring-fenced allocation for the LEADER programme to ensure that the post-2027 programme can continue its vital role in supporting rural communities across our country.
As the Senators will understand, there are many details that remain to be finalised as part of the negotiation process to put the regulations in place and discussions at a detailed level are continuing. These negotiations are expected to continue through Ireland's term of office as the President of the Council of the European Union. I assure both Senators and all Members of the House that our Department, the Minister and I will continue to engage directly with our European colleagues and the Commission to ensure that the LEADER programme continues to be well funded into the future.
The Senators also mentioned SICAP, which is our primary national social inclusion programme. It is doing huge work. Without it, look at the levels of poverty we would have and the exclusion, rather than inclusion, we would have. We would have inequality rather than equality. We are supporting disadvantaged people and communities. I pay tribute to local development companies for their work. SICAP funding is part of the budgetary Estimates process. Last year, we secured an extra €1.5 million in the budget, which brought the increase in funding to SICAP since 2022 to €11.3 million. That means we have in excess of €50 million to be spent. I will come back in a moment to the other points in my reply.
I thank the Minister of State. We know the work that is done on the ground. However, there is a danger. That is why I think we should use our EU Presidency. I am talking in particular about the north west. It has been downgraded to a lagging region within the EU. It is in areas like that we know there are challenges in respect of employment opportunities, building sustainable communities and promoting green ethical farming. All of those matters come under the CAP budget. It must be ensured that we have this commitment.
I know that the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Calleary, are committed to LEADER companies and SICAP. It is about trying to use our voice. We joined the EU in 1973. It was not a military operation that we joined. We joined because it would be better for all the people living on the island and that has to be taken into account when we look at areas such as the north west that have been downgraded in their EU status to a lagging region. That is the case we need to be arguing during our EU Presidency.
There is obviously the issue around ring-fencing at the EU level but regardless of how the negotiations manifest in Brussels, we can make our own national commitment to ring-fencing for the local development companies network, LCDN. The LCDN is seeking an additional €10 million to sustain SICAP funding. That was its recent request. The Minister of State has outlined the importance of the work it is doing.
I thank both Members for raising the matter. All of us in the House share an ambition regarding SICAP and LEADER. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I are committed to ensuring that we have a well-funded CAP that does not just support farm resilience and environmental ambition but also strongly invests in rural Ireland. I am acutely aware of the challenges that remain and are faced across many parts of our country. Senator Cosgrove mentioned the north west. In the programme for Government, we have a firm commitment around the whole allocation of SICAP funding. We are now living in a different world. That is the sad part. It is the battle that we must fight within Europe to ensure that money is not spent disproportionately. We must spend it on people in a different way that has real and tangible benefits.
We will work at European level to ensure that investment is targeted at local priorities and in the work we are doing. I have made the following point to many people in different forums. Without what we are talking about his morning, SICAP, LEADER, CLÁR or whatever else, we, as a world, are in big trouble. It is our job to continue to fight for those programmes and we will do so. I thank the Senators for raising the matter. I cannot give them certainty regarding the budgetary process for the allocations of money because that has not started yet. I assure them that both the Minister and I will do the very best we can to ensure the funding allocations continue to be where they are today.
Passport Services
I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this important Commencement matter and welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, to the House. I have a simple request that will help thousands of people. Will the Minister or the Department consider introducing an opt-in text message and email reminder service to notify passport holders when their passports are about to expire?
The issue of passports going out of date has a very real impact on thousands of people every year. We have all heard stories from constituents who have spent months planning and saving for a family holiday only to arrive at the airport and discover that a passport has expired or just as importantly does not have sufficient validity remaining for travel to the destination, or else they figure this out a day or two before their holiday. Many countries now require passports to have at least six months' validity beyond the date of travel. People often assume that because the expiry date has not yet passed, they are free to travel but unfortunately that is not always the case and many discover this when it is too late. The result can be cancelled holidays, missed family occasions, lost business opportunities and thousands of euro in non-refundable flights and accommodation.
The passport service in Ireland is rightly regarded as one of the most efficient and best passport services in the world, turning over thousands of passports every year. We literally know the people in the Passport Office on a first name basis, given the number of calls we make to them.
Other countries, including I think America, have an opt-in text service to let people know when their password is about to expire. The Department already holds the contact details for passport applications, which are submitted when people apply. An automated voluntary reminder issued six months or even a year before a passport expires should not be a big thing to implement. It seems like a no-brainer. It would encourage timely renewals, reduce the number of emergency applications and give people peace of mind before travelling. I imagine it would save a lot of headaches for the people working in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It is a practical and low-cost initiative that would improve customer service and help to prevent avoidable disruption for families, business travellers, students and older people visiting loved ones abroad. I therefore ask the Minister to examine the feasibility of introducing an opt-in passport reminder service and engage with the passport service on how long it would take to implement such a system. Sometimes the simplest changes have the greatest impact and I believe this one of those occasions.
I thank Senator Nelson Murray for raising the matter this morning. At the beginning it is important to thank the staff in the Passport Office both in Dublin and Cork for their courtesy, professionalism and patience. I also thank the staff in the Minister, Deputy McEntee's, office. As the Senator rightly said, the most frustrating part of the summer season is the demand for passports as many of our fellow citizens prepare to travel. It can happen that people suddenly discover the passport is out of date or not in order, which leads to panic. I would strongly support the Senator's suggestion.
As the Senator knows, the Government has invested considerably in modernising, improving and protecting the Irish passport, along with the environment and systems that underpin service delivery for citizens. The passport service continually works to enhance the service and provide efficiencies for customers under the passport reform programme.
The passport service, and indeed the Ministers in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, take every opportunity, as we do this morning, to remind citizens to check their passport validity. Each year the passport service proactively plans for the demand forecasted for the year ahead. Part of this involves an extensive public communications campaign to encourage citizens to apply, through passport online, in plenty of time for their passport prior to travel. This year's campaign focused on driving awareness among citizens, particularly parents of newborns - as we know getting a first passport is a very lengthy process - and young children, that passport online is the fastest, easiest and most cost-effective way to apply for a passport. In recent years, the successful campaign in December and January has been highly effective in motivating citizens to apply in the early part of the year, well ahead of the busy summer travel season. The passport online service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is available to citizens all over the world. The advice this morning is for people to check their passport well in advance of travel.
The passport service's programme of reform will continue throughout 2026 and next year, with the delivery of several highly complex and transformational projects that are necessary to future-proof service delivery, enhance the customer experience, ensure business continuity, and safeguard the integrity of the passport. As we have said, the Irish passport is a very cherished document. Successful delivery of these projects will ensure that Ireland remains at the forefront of passport processing worldwide.
Last Friday, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, launched a redesigned and modernised new Irish passport book and card. This project has also encompassed the replacement of high-security printing machinery required for passport personalisation. Along with other upgrades to the passport service's systems, next year citizens applying for a passport for the first time or renewing their passport will be able to opt in to receive electronic communications, including passport expiry reminder notices, from the passport service. This service will be opt-in for several reasons. The Department has a statutory obligation from a data protection perspective to only use personal data, which may include home addresses or email addresses where it is satisfied the data is accurate and up to date. It would, therefore, be precluded from automatically using addresses used for the dispatch of passports ten years ago. Unlike car tax or travel insurance, adult passports expire after ten years and individuals’ circumstances or contact details may have changed in the interim.
I hope the point the Senator made was encompassed in that. It is important that people get a reminder and a prompt. As she rightly said, it is about making it easier for people to get access to what is a cherished document. In particular, I would be all for making it easier for first-time applicants, mainly children.
I thank the Senator for raising this very important matter. I also thank the Passport Office staff who do extraordinary work in very pressurised circumstances. We are all genuinely beholden to them and we send them our best wishes.
There is a happy Senator.
I thank the Minister of State and I also thank a friend of mine, Philip Quinlan, who brought this to my attention. I am really delighted to see that we are going to have an opt-in service for passports starting next year, which is my understanding of what the Minister of State just said. Therefore, there will be an opt-in. I take the point that people might change address or contact details within ten years and possibly there could be something going forward. It seems we are being encouraged to log into the mygov.ie system and maybe passports could be linked in there in the future. We are being encouraged to go in there and complete surveys and do lots of different things. Maybe that could be a way of reminding people.
We are used to getting reminders from doctors now. I have to get a horrible root canal procedure done and I have received two text messages this week to remind me to go there tomorrow. We are all used to getting these reminders and it is something normal. I thank the Minister of State for being here and I thank the Minister, Deputy McEntee, for her work in this space. I am delighted that there will be an opt-in service so that people will be reminded about their passports from next year onwards. That is great news.
As the Senator rightly said, passports are an important issue for not just Members of the Oireachtas but for citizens as well. As we are in the summer holiday period, it is important to reiterate the message about applying for the passport in time. As I said, as part of the passport reform programme, an opt-in passport reminder will be introduced next year. This will allow all citizens renewing or applying for a passport to opt in to receive electronic passport expiry reminders. I encourage anybody listening or watching at home if they are travelling abroad, particularly families with young children, to check the validity of the passport before booking travel and to apply online and in plenty of time. Passport online is the best option for all of our citizens. It is the quickest, most convenient and most cost-effective way to apply for passports. I encourage everybody watching and listening to apply online and to make sure their passport is in order. I thank the Senator for raising the matter this morning.
It is lovely to get a Minister of State finishing the final Commencement matter with good news.
Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 11.19 a.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 11.31 a.m.
Sitting suspended at 11.19 a.m. and resumed at 11.31 a.m.