Protect our passports

AS BREXIT Day looms, the never-ending consequences continue to pile up. It is estimated that 800,000 British and Northern Irish people desperate to hold on to their EU identity could apply for Irish passports in the next five years, placing severe strain on the service. Already, the Passport Office plans to hire 250 more staff, including 20 integrity offers to assess the veracity of right-to-citizenship claims. That is vital. The Irish passport is the fifth most valuable in the world, allowing visa-free travel to 185 countries It is imperative that only those entitled to one actually receive it in order to protect our global standing and reputation.