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Passport Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 July 2024

Tuesday, 9 July 2024

Questions (76)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

76. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passports which have been reported missing and stolen in each of the past 15 years, in tabular form. [29238/24]

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Written answers

The integrity of the Irish passport is the foremost priority of the Passport Service. 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 3rd in the Henley Global Passport Index as it provides our citizens with visa-free access to 193 countries. The loss or theft of passports and passport cards is taken very seriously by the Passport Service as it compromises the safety and security of citizen's personal data and can result in fraudulent activity. The Passport Service ensures that passports reported as lost or stolen are cancelled and notified to Interpol at the earliest opportunity. Once the passport is cancelled and notified to Interpol, it is no longer valid for travel. The numbers of passports reported as lost or stolen to the Passport Service in each of the past fifteen years, and to date in 2024, are detailed below in tabular form.

Year

Lost

Stolen

2009

28,235

4,743

2010

25,808

4,353

2011

24,889

4,123

2012

24,814

4,051

2013

25,122

3,669

2014

24,153

3,453

2015

23,712

2,965

2016

25,599

2,995

2017

26,491

2,990

2018

26,377

2,830

2019

30,415

2,834

2020

12,037

970

2021

16,803

956

2022

34,096

2,208

2023

30,345

2,393

2024

16,758

1,278

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