Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 February 2026
85. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the number of passports issued during 2025, with a breakdown per passport office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8194/26]
View answerIn 2025 the Passport Service successfully responded to demand and issued 933,121 passports.
To date in 2026, the Passport Service has issued over 79,000 passports. Passport applications are being issued at, or ahead of, their target turnaround time and there are no backlogs.
With regard to the Deputy's query about a breakdown of passports per passport office, the Passport Service is a national service with processing offices in Dublin 2, Balbriggan Co. Dublin and Cork.
The Passport Service operates three passport book printing machines: two are located in the main production facility at the Balbriggan campus and the third machine is located in the Dublin 2 office. The printing and dispatching of passports is a highly automated process in what is, essentially, an industrial production system. While the Cork office operates an urgent appointment service for residents of the region and includes entitlement officers who review and approve both domestic and non-domestic applications, passports are printed and dispatched to customers from the passport offices in Dublin.
I would ask the Deputy to encourage their constituents to apply online for the quickest, cheapest and most efficient service.
The Passport Service recommends that applicants allow plenty of time for a passport to issue. It is best practice to book holidays and travel only when in possession of a valid passport.
In particular, those who are travelling this year, especially families with young children who require their first passport, should apply online and in plenty of time.
The Passport Online service allows citizens to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is available to 100% of all applicants globally.
