Sinn Féin’s Leader in the Seanad Niall Ó Donnghaile has said a passport office in the north is much needed and would help alleviate the pressure on passport office staff.

Seanadóir Ó Donnghaile was speaking after figures showed that a total of 182,000 Irish passports were waiting to be processed despite extra staff being brought in to deal with the high demand.

Niall Ó Donnghaile said:

“A total of 182,000 Irish passports are waiting to be processed. This shows that a passport office in the north is much needed.

“Families are losing money by missing out on holidays despite extra staff being brought into deal with the extra applications.

“Given that the Foreign Affairs Minister has acknowledged the ‘off the charts’ applications, opening an office in the north could help alleviate some pressure from the passport office and post office workers.

“I will again be raising this campaign in the Seanad and would call on the government to engage positively, prepare and deliver for citizens.”