Louth TD calls for an email reminder system to tell someone their passport is due for renewal

An email reminder system, that would automatically generate a communication to tell someone their passport is due for renewal, has been suggested by Dundalk TD Ruairí Ó Murchú.

The Sinn Féin deputy made the suggestion to Tánaiste Simon Harris during a debate in the Dáil recently and suggested that a reminder email alert system would happen while renewing passports online which could assist in letting people know their document was going out of date.

Currently, there is an email system operating at the Department of Foreign Affairs website whereby customers can sign up to getting a reminder, but this is distinct from the online renewal process.

Deputy Ó Murchú said: "It could be any sort of reminder.

"A couple of people asked me why it cannot be like the reminder you get for your motor tax.

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"We need to make sure that we make it as easy as possible and remind people about it.

"There is always an informative piece that needs to happen.

"We need to inform people to check their passports before they book holidays, particularly ones that are just about to run out. 

"We need to inform people to check their passports before they book holidays, particularly ones that are just about to run out.

"We know that people who are travelling to the US and further afield at times can have an issue where their passports can run out within a six-month period or so."

In response, Minister Harris said the programme of passport service reform has been "very impressive", with customers "extraordinarily impressed by the speed at which they now get their passport".

He agreed with the Louth TD that ‘the reform agenda needs to continue’, with continuing close work with Gardaí and the Department of Justice to tease out issues.

Minister Harris said he would "specifically raise that issue with the head of the Passport Office and come back to the Deputy directly".

He said: "I know there has been engagement on how we can make processes work even better.

"I will be happy to revert to the Deputy on the matter."

Deputy Ó Murchú said there needs to be a better solution to Gardaí manually signing passport applications and recording the details by pen in a book at the stations.

He also asked the Tánaiste if consideration would be given to the streamlining of the Passport Service so that where minor errors occur with photographs or signatures in the wrong places, that the waiting time would not go back to the start when these issues were corrected.