SINN Féin Councillor Sharon Duddy has said the Irish government should immediately open a Passport Office in the north to meet the soar in Irish passport applications.
Commenting on the latest figures released by the government, Sharon Duddy said:
“The Irish government have confirmed that already there is a 30 percent increase in passport applications, that’s over 230,000 applications and it’s only March.
“In 2018, record numbers of people in the north and in Britain applied for an Irish passport — that will only intensify in the coming weeks and months as Brexit uncertainty looms.
“The Irish Embassy in London has warned its staff are ‘stretched and working under pressure’ due to passport demand.
“This exposes the gap in services, and undue stress on staff, through failure to open a passport office in the six counties.
“The government are unequipped to deal with rising figures.
“An Taoiseach has said the people of the north will never be left behind again – then now is the time to invest and provide the infrastructure required to meet growing demand.
“Opening a Passport Office in the north is the practical and sensible thing to do,” added Cllr Duddy.
