Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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We will allow him to join in should he return.

I have some questions myself now for Mr. Burgess. I want first to recognise the work of the Department on Brexit, including the work of the officials in Brussels, Belfast and Dublin, Their work on behalf of the State and the Oireachtas was to ensure that the worst of all Brexits and its worst effects on this country and on this State were mitigated. This should be recognised.

To return to the Passport Office itself briefly, does it have plans to open a passport office in the North? There have been requests for such an office and I am aware that a substantial number of passports have been sought by people, particularly in the years since the Brexit referendum and I note that a majority of the people in the North voted to stay within the European Union. Obviously, the vote unfortunately went a different way and there was an upsurge of applications for passports from the Six Counties. Does the Department have any plans or has there been any discussions around opening an office in Belfast, Derry or anywhere else in the North?