Foreign Affairs

New Innovative Passport Application System “Online”

Andrew 2015, Foreign Affairs, Tourism, Wicklow - East Carlow

getmediafileFine Gael TD, Andrew Doyle commented that the “The passport card will be available to all Irish citizens who are over 18 years and hold a valid Irish Passport. The card will have a maximum validity of 5 years (or the remaining validity of an individual’s passport book) and will cost €35.

“This is a highly innovative process and will help to speed up the application of passports for Irish Citizens. Together with the New Online Application System, downloadable app and most importantly the security features of the card which have incorporated the advice of security experts including An Garda Síochána. One innovative feature of note is the embedded hologram photo on a strip on the reverse of the card. This is the first occasion on which this security feature will be used on travel documents.

“The Passport Card is available only to applicants aged 18 or over. You must also be in possession of your valid Passport book in order to apply for a Passport Card. The Passport Card will be credit card sized so will fit conveniently into a wallet. The card will be of benefit to frequent travellers as in essence it will allow them to travel, if and when their passport books are being held in embassies while visas are being processed.

Additionally the Passport is now regularly required for non travel purposes. It is also envisaged that demand for the passport card will be high among young adults for age verification and consequently assist in reducing the number of lost passports.

Andrew Doyle TD says that “You can only apply online or through the app. In this way an applicant could take a photograph of themselves on their mobile phone, test to confirm that the photograph meets the international standards for passport photographs and complete the remainder of the application process on their phone”

See dfa.ie/passportcard for more information

Sinn Féin joins extreme anti-European parties to oppose EU-US trade deal – Doyle

Andrew 2015, Agriculture, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Jobs Enterprise Innovation, Wicklow - East Carlow

TTIP“Sinn Féin have teamed up with the anti-European French National Front and UK Independence Party to oppose the latest stage of the EU – US trade deal (TTIP) which is aimed at increasing growth, jobs and investment in the European Union,” says Andrew Doyle, Fine Gael TD for Wicklow.

Sinn Féin voted against the ongoing EU-US trade talks in the European Parliament today (Wednesday).

“Fine Gael strongly supports the negotiations to establish a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Today, a majority of MEPs voted in support of the TTIP, signalling a political willingness across Europe for negotiations to continue.

“An EU-US trade deal has the potential to create 5,000 to 10,000 extra jobs in exporting companies and boost growth in the Irish economy. This is what Sinn Féin oppose.

“As a small open economy Ireland’s ability to grow and create jobs is directly linked to our ability to sell our goods and services overseas. An EU-US trade deal, which the subject of current negotiations, will allow Ireland grow its trade with the US and grow jobs back at home. This is what Sinn Féin oppose.

“TTIP is also expected to increase Irish agriculture exports by 2% to 3%. This is what Sinn Féin oppose.

“Sinn Fein oppose jobs and sustainable growth in favour of fantasy economics. Now they have found new political friends in the French National Front and UK Independents from who they can learn even more fantastical economic ideas.

“My four Fine Gael colleagues in the European Parliament have welcomed today’s vote by the European Parliament as an important political endorsement of the ongoing negotiating process.”

 

ENDS

 

Note to the Editor:

  • 436 MEPs voted in favour of the overall TTIP report in the European Parliament today (Wednesday), 241 against. 447 MEPs voted specifically in favour of Amendment 117 – the compromise agreement between political groups on ISDS (229 voted against, 30 abstained).

 

  • Today’s vote in Strasbourg follows a compromise agreement between the Parliament’s political groups on how the mechanism to deal with investor-state disputes should be dealt with under the so-called investor-to-state dispute settlement (ISDS).

 

  • The Fine Gael MEPs voted in favour of the proposal for a permanent solution by introducing a new system for resolving disputes between investors and states, subject to democratic principles and scrutiny. This should lead to the establishment of an international court with selected national and competent judges dealing with investor dispute cases to ensure fair treatment and proper regulation for both European investors and governments.