By Georgina Brennan

Irish seniors in the U.S. are now entitled to free Irish passports thanks to a new initiative from Ireland’s Department of Foreign affairs.

Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern announced that from August 1, 2005, passport fees will be waived for Irish citizens aged 65 and over. The free scheme applies to Irish seniors living abroad, including those living in the U.S.

Ahern said the initiative recognized the years of service and hard work of the nation’s senior citizens.

“The life-long contribution to society of our senior citizens is being further recognized by the introduction of free passports. This will benefit over 60,000 such persons annually — about 10% of those who apply for passports annually,” Ahern said.

The current $33 fee is being abolished from August 1. Anyone aged 65 and over from then will not be required to pay the fee for the issue of a 10-year passport.

This move is part of an overall Irish government strategy to focus benefits of prosperity on Irish senior citizens. It builds upon the existing benefits in Ireland of free public transport, TV license, phone and electricity schemes.

It comes on top of the largest pension increases in the history of the Irish state, which have outstripped corresponding increases in earnings, inflation and the average industrial wage.

The Department of Foreign Affairs expects that approximately 650,000 Irish passports will be issued this year. Senior citizens account for approximately 10% of all passport applications. In the first half of 2005 year the Department of Foreign Affairs has issued almost as many passports as in the whole of 1999.