Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response, and also for the fact that this is under continual review. As I have said, all of us will be aware of the stresses that this generates for families when they find their passports may not be processed in time or are out of date. The first thing people should do, before any holidays or travel is booked, is to check their passport.

The figures the Minister has given me in relation to the increases in applications in such a short time, from the North of Ireland of 50% and from Britain of 55%, are stark. Has the Department, in conjunction with the diplomatic service in Britain, looked at projecting that forward into next year? If anything, when we get into the Brexit negotiations further, when those in Britain realise that they are leaving the European Union and the value an Irish passport will hold with regard to freedom of travel across the rest of the European Union and residence, we should prepare for the worst. The applications of those who need passports to travel are being caught up in the system with those of others who are simply and understandably concerned about their travel rights within Europe at any time in the future.

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