30,000 passports for Laois and Offaly in past two years

Over 30,000 passports were issued to people in Laois and Offaly in the past two years. 

Figures released in the Dail show residents in both Laois and Offaly were issued twice as many passports in 2022 as in 2021. 

The figures were released in response to a Parliamentary Question by Deputy Richard O'Donoghue. He asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passports issued in each county in 2021 and 2022.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheal Martin provided figures for online applications which he said now accounted for 90 percent of all passports issued.   

“It is the fastest and most cost-effective way to apply for a passport, and can be used for renewal applications from anywhere in the world, and for first time applications from over 50 countries worldwide,” he explained.  

In Laois, a total of 16,782 passports were issued online over the two years. In 2021 there were 5,115 while in 2022 that figure rose to 11,667. 

In neighbouring Co Offaly, a total of 15,564 passports were issued to online applicants during the same two year period. The figures show 4,693 passports were issued in 2021 while 10,871 were issued 2022. 

“Due to the limitations of the paper-based passport application system, the Passport Service were unable to compile the requested figures for paper-based applications in time for the response to the Parliamentary Question. The Passport Service will share the paper-based figures with the Deputy directly,” Minister Martin added. 

As there paper applications aren’t included in the figures, the true number of passports issued is likely to be ten percent higher than the figures supplied.