More than one million applications have been received by the Passport Service in 2023.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has said forecasts indicate that around 950,000 passports will be issued this year.
Passport Online has been rolled out to an additional 175 countries for first time applicants - meaning that 99.9% of all first-time and renewal applicants around the world can apply online.
The process has also been simplified for first-time applicants, especially when applying for a child’s first passport.
The majority of online adult renewal applications are issued within two working days, the Department of Foreign Affairs has said.
The processing time for Foreign Birth Registration (FBR), which is available to people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through descent, has decreased by 75% from over two and a half years in 2022 to eight months currently.
The Passport Service has approved over 36,000 FBR applications this year.
An Irish passport with plane tickets. Image: Radharc Images / Alamy Stock PhotoTánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin has praised those in the Passport Service.
"Between 2,000 and 3,000 passports are currently being issued every day and over 950,000 passports will have been issued by the end of the year," he said.
"Following the challenges faced in 2021 and 2022, these achievements are truly something to take pride in.
"I want to pay tribute to the passports team across the country who continue to work hard to deliver an excellent service for our citizens".
The Tánaiste has also encouraged anyone who is considering travelling to check that their passport is in date.
This year also saw the highest number of Irish deaths overseas ever reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
It provided consular assistance to 381 families whose loved ones had died abroad in 2023.
This figure marked a 12% increase on last year.
The department said it was also notified of the deaths of several Irish citizens as a result of medical or cosmetic procedures abroad this year.
