With 10-year passports the norm for many, some people only realise theirs is out of date when en route to the airport. At that stage, most have to kiss their much-anticipated holiday goodbye. However, to counteract this, the Irish Passport office is encouraging everyone booking flights to make sure that all-important little burgundy document is up to date, so it can get you out of here. Fiona Pellonar, director of Passport Services spoke to Irish Country Living about finding the application process that’s right for you.

“There are a couple of different ways people can apply, but it does pay to be organised. A standard passport, whether you apply by post or by our new online system, costs €80. If you are under pressure for time, though, and have to go through the public counter process in Cork or Dublin, you’re looking at fees of €95.

“Often people opt for this option when they are travelling in three weeks or less, and there are 250 appointments available a day for this service. If, however, you find out just before you fly that your passport is out of date, you are looking at fees of €150, plus, as only 30 applications can be processed per day, it can’t be guaranteed. From May onwards, we are in the midst of busy season where, overall, more than 10,000 applications are processed,” explains Fiona.

So with the new online system up and running, do people trust it as their avenue for renewal? “Yes, it’s a faster system, with adult renewals taking about two weeks, and up to 50% of people getting their passport within one week. The postal service takes about three weeks on average.

“The stumbling block is that children cannot use the online system at the moment, which limits family applications. However, phase 2 of the online roll-out is planned for the end of this year, and children’s applications will be included in this.”

So while many of us are familiar with online applications at this stage, what happens with the dodgy passport photo and how does that make it onto the page? Now you can take your pictures at home – but note that selfies aren’t going to cut it.

“Most people have a camera in their house or on their phone. Just find a plain white background in your house, such as a white wall or even the shower curtain. Get someone else to take your picture and upload it. Before your application is submitted, the system checks that the photo is suitable.

“Alternatively, you can still go to your local chemist, who can email you the picture, and we have also teamed up with Photo Me, which has 250 photobooths in supermarkets and garages and will give you the traditional printed photo, but with a code to also access your picture online,” she explains.

For those who travel around Europe frequently, it could also be worth investing in a passport card, an optional extra that costs €35. It means you can pop it in your wallet and it will serve as your passport when taking European flights.

If you’re in the States – where often they will card people when purchasing alcohol, regardless of whether they are 21 or 51 – it means you have a state card without taking out your official passport. A better investment of your money than fast-tracking the whole process. CL

>> Google Home Hits Ireland

“Hey Google, what’s the craic?”

“Whenever we hang out, the craic is mighty.”

Indeed it is. Google Home has just arrived in Ireland – and it has taken technology in the home to a different level. Google itself has meant there is an answer to every question, but now you can get that question answered without turning on a computer or even touching your smartphone.

If you’re walking around the kitchen doing the cooking, you can simply say: “Hey Google, how do I make a baked potato” or “Hey Google, convert two ounces into grams for me.”

Google Home is a hands-free smart speaker that can make everyone’s life easier. But how useful would it be in a farming household? At the launch of Google Home, this is what Irish Country Living asked Tríona Butler, the Tipperary-born – but Silicon Valley-based – Google Home User Experience Lead.

“You can get up in the morning and ask Google what the weather will be like for the day, what time is sunrise and sunset, what your diary looks like for the day and, when travelling to the mart, you can check if there is any traffic on route. The options are endless.”

Although it has just landed in Ireland, Google Home has been on the go for quite some time in countries such as the USA and the UK. “Historically, we launch our products in the States and roll them out from there. We want them to be localised and have the right partners. So, for example, in Ireland when you ask Google to tell you the news, it will automatically tell you the RTÉ news, rather than the BBC news.”

It also is adapted to Irish accents and their terminology, so not only will Google tell you what the craic is, just ask her: “Isn’t there a grand stretch in the evening?” To which she will reply: “Ah, sure there is, it’s mighty.” Or our personal favourite: “Hey Google, Mayo for Sam?” To which she replies: “Yeah ,right.”

Google also launched their Google wifi, which means instead of a router positioned in the corner of your house, it has a few hubs throughout the home, meaning there will be a better spread of internet. This is especially beneficial if you have an old farmhouse with thick walls, as it gives more of a blanket coverage. If you have dodgy broadband, unfortunately, it won’t do anything to help that. However, it does make the best use of the level of broadband that enters your house.

Google Home and Home Mini will be available in stores nationwide for €149 and €59 respectively. Google wifi is €139 for one while a pack of three is €359.