Overview
- The new passport was launched by Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee and is being issued to the public now.
- Artwork was selected through a nationwide consultation of about 15,000 people, with the Irish wolfhound placed prominently on the opening page.
- The Department of Foreign Affairs says the booklet includes a polycarbonate biometric data page, transparent window, tactile raised ink, UV security ink, hologram elements, temperature-changing and metallic inks, and tricolour thread.
- Production uses environmentally friendly security inks and new printing methods developed with Irish companies and artists to combine domestic craft with technical security.
- The government says the passport preserves visa-free travel to 186 countries, which officials portray as a practical benefit for holders and a public-facing expression of Irish identity.