30/12/20 The Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Mr. Simon Coveney, T.D., has announced that the Passport Service issued more than 400,000 Irish passports in 2020. This is around 40% of the number issued in 2019. Despite the introduction of travel restrictions both nationally and internationally in 2020, Irish citizens continued to require passports, particularly our community living overseas. The Passport Service paused operations during periods of Level 5 restrictions but continued to offer a same day service for emergencies and a weekly service for urgent adult renewals. This service was facilitated via the award winning Passport Online system. To assist with the wider State response to COVID-19, Passport Service personnel were also redeployed into other, essential public service roles, such as contact tracing for the HSE and assisting the Department of Social Protection to facilitate the processing of COVID-19 related benefits. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Passport Service staff were critical in assisting our citizens abroad.