Write a commentSenator Niall Ó Donnaghaile was in Newry this week to join in the call for a dedicated Passport Office in the north.
Newry & Armagh MLA Megan Fearon joined the campaign along with colleagues and activists.
The #6CoPassports campaign has been led by Senator Ó Donnaghaile and campaigners were in Hill Street in Newry this week to gather signatures for the Campaign Petition.
The Newry & Armagh elected representative explained "According to figures published in today's Irish Times, 53,715 people in the North applied for Irish passports the year before the vote on Brexit. This increased to 67,582 in 2016, and 80,964 this year. It is time that the Irish government recognise the latest figures in passport applications coming from the Six Counties and to open a dedicated resource here"
The MLA continued "The response here in the Newry region shows a clear demand from citizens that services are put in place to meet the growing demand. My Sinn Féin Senator colleague and spokesperson on North-South Integration, Niall Ó Donnghaile during his recent appearance in front of the Oireachtas Committee on the Good Friday Agreement, put it to Minister Simon Coveney that he explore the idea of a dedicated "citizenship hub" located in the North. This could be a place for passport applications to be processed but also a valuable resource in assisting Irish citizens in terms of their legal rights & entitlements post-Brexit. It would also create jobs.
