Delays with passport express service

PEOPLE who intend to travel abroad are being advised to check that their passports are in date and to allow sufficient time if they need to be renewed.

The advice comes from Mayo Fianna Fáil TD Lisa Chambers who has had numerous representations into her office regarding the delay in passports being processed.

She said: “It has come to my attention that applications submitted via the An Post passport express service are not being processed within the target turnaround time of 15 days. This has left some people having to completely rearrange their travel plans as a result.

“This situation is completely unacceptable and unfair. Fianna Fáil has raised the issue of the huge backlog in the Passport Office with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney, on numerous occasions and we have expressed our concerns with the current system in place as it is not equipped to meet the current demand for passports.

“It is essential, given the large increase in passport applications as a result of Brexit, and the impending holiday season, that the entirety of our passport service is sufficiently resourced to meet this demand.”

She continued: “I have come across several cases where people are waiting in excess of 20 days for a renewal and 25 days for a new passport application. It is imperative that additional resources are given to ensure that the public can have their passports processed within the expected time-frame.”