Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. I have to compliment the Trojan work of those in the passport office who are dealing with a major backlog and applications. I would like the Minister to go back with a very clear message to those working in his office and offer my sincerest thanks to them for their efforts and the Trojan work they do in emergency and urgent cases. When people's lives are upset and they are experiencing trauma, we have received nothing but the utmost courtesy, dedication and determination from those working in the Minister's Department. I want to acknowledge that, as well as those working in ordinary passport offices. I want my message to go back to those dealing with the mountains of applications that we sincerely thank them for their work. They are dealing with people who are highly distressed. People may have to travel for a funeral or may have made arrangements and find themselves without passports, and as a result they are extremely upset. They are treated very well to the best of people's abilities.

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