Minister Dermot Ahern presents one millionth passport produced in Cork Passport Office

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D., was in Cork this afternoon to mark the issuing of the one millionth passport produced by the Cork Passport Office.  The passport was presented at a reception in the Imperial Hotel to local Cork woman Ms. Bernadette Callanan, who applied for it in order to travel to Lourdes with her family.

The Cork Passport Office was established in 1987, to accept passport applications and send them to Dublin for processing.  It began to issue passports in 1995, and since then has grown substantially from 50,000 passports per year to an anticipated total of 150,000 in 2006.  As the only regional passport office outside Dublin, it is an excellent example of the successful decentralising of an important service from the capital.

Presenting the passport, Minister Ahern said:

“The Cork Passport Office plays a vital part in this Government's overall commitment to providing efficient and timely passport services to all Irish citizens”.

The Minister also demonstrated the new e-passport which will be introduced in October this year, saying that “it is of vital importance to the Government that Ireland continues to be internationally recognised as having one of the most advanced passport documents in the world”.

The new passport will include an embedded microchip containing the facial image and personal details of the passport holder as they appear on the data page.  It will be accompanied by legislation to strengthen anti-fraud provisions and offer greater security to Irish passport holders.

ENDS +++
29th May 2006
Press Office