Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has cited the shift in direct payment applications to a 100% online system as the model for a similar move with passport applications.

The former minister for agriculture was answering questions on the increased take-up of the online passport service in the Dáil on Tuesday 16 April.

The Tánaiste said the intention was to implement a system whereby all passport applications are made online.

It is estimated that this will be achieved by the end of 2021 or 2022.

Online

He said: “When I was the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, my Department was trying to shift Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) applications online.

“Many people said it could not be done, as applicants would not have the broadband links to be able to make the applications and so on.

“All such applications are now made online and that is where we want to go with passports.”

Last year, 129,700 farmers applied online for their direct payments.

The Department of Agriculture has said 100% online applications allows for more efficient and effective payment of the BPS.

Phases

The Tánaiste stressed that the change for passports must happen in a phased way to ensure people were comfortable doing it.

To date in 2019, 70% of passport applicants have utilised the online renewal process.

While he stressed there was still an efficient postal process, he encouraged people to consider the online system.

The average turnaround time for an online passport is 10 days, while the postage process takes 15 days.

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