February is the month many families start planning an Easter holiday, but anyone thinking of heading abroad this year should double check the passports because the waiting times for the Passport Express service are up to 50% longer than usual.
The delay of up to 15 days is due to increased pressure on the service, after 3,000 foreign nationals were granted their Irish passports earlier this month.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, temporary staff have been recruited in an effort to correct the situation as soon as possible.
In the meantime, customers planning to travel in less than three weeks are advised to book an appointment here.
