Roderic O'Gorman
Question:277. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if an additional passport printer will be provided at the Passport Office in Dublin. [71282/25]
View answerThursday, 11 December 2025
Questions (277)
Written answers
The Passport Online service offers citizens the ability to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This award-winning service has allowed for the centralisation of passport processing and has resulted in greater efficiencies for our citizens.
Over 93% of all passport applications are now made through Passport Online which is available to 100% of all applicants globally.
The PPS is successfully meeting high demand for passports with turnaround times at, or well ahead of, target for virtually all application types. The majority of online adult renewal applications issue within two working days.
The public passport offices in Cork and Dublin 2 operate an Urgent Appointment service for renewal applications. Passport Service records show that 0.84% of passports issued this year were issued through the one-day Urgent Appointment service in Dublin.
The Passport Service operates three passport book printing machines: two are located in the main production facility at the Balbriggan campus and the third machine is located in the Dublin 2 office. The printing and dispatching of passports is a highly automated process in what is, essentially, an industrial production system.
The Passport Service estimates the initial capital cost of purchasing and installing new printer and mailing machine to be approximately €5.3 million. In addition to the capital investment, these highly sophisticated machines require expert engineers to be on-site while the machines are in operation to maintain and service the machines and repair them when necessary. The running and maintenance costs alone are estimated to be €600,000 per year.
I am satisfied that the three current printers are sufficient to meet the level of demand for passports for the foreseeable future and a business case cannot currently be made to invest the required level of funds to facilitate an additional passport printer in Dublin.