The Passport Office has to be “more helpful” to applicants this summer, Michael Ring has said. 

Last year, people applying for passports often found themselves faced with huge delays as the civil service attempted to clear a huge backlog caused by the pandemic.

Fine Gael’s Michael Ring said the State’s customer service needs to be improved.

“The difficulty is some of these passports go in, they don’t look at them until the last day,” he said.

“If there’s a problem they then send back the difficulty and tell people what the problem is and they’re put back to the back of the queue again.”

The Passport Office is seen on Dublin's Molesworth Street in July 2011. Picture by: kp / Alamy Stock Photo

The Mayo TD also said people need to be mindful of the expiration date on their passport.

“So, what I’m saying to people is first of all, ‘Look at your passport, do not be booking your holidays till you get your passport,’” he said.

“And I’m saying to the Minister and the Department of Foreign Affairs, ‘You have to be more helpful to people that are in difficulties with their passports.’”

The Passport Office advises a simple online renewal takes 10 working days on average, a complex online renewal takes 15 and a first time online application takes 20 working days.

Main image: An Irish passport.