The Irish Passport Service will now accept and process enquiries from Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) on the same terms as TDs. The change was confirmed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs at a recent Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee meeting.

Previously, only elected representatives in the Republic of Ireland could formally engage with the passport office on behalf of constituents facing delays or complicated cases. Irish citizens in Northern Ireland did not have access to the same support.

Processing times routinely lengthen during summer months, leading to missed holidays or vital family and work events. Many delays occur when applicants struggle to contact witnesses, an issue often resolved through intervention by a TD.

Cathy Bennett, a Sinn Féin TD and member of the foreign affairs committee, raised the matter and welcomed the extension. Northern Ireland residents submitted over 120,000 passport applications in 2024, a figure that continues to rise.

Bennett also repeated longstanding calls for a dedicated passport office in Northern Ireland. Urgent renewal and other services are currently available only in Dublin, Cork and London. She said it is past time for the Irish government to establish a facility in the north.

The new arrangement grants MLAs the same channels as TDs to clarify application problems and speed up resolutions.