DUBLIN, Ireland: Ireland's Passport Service has delivered 460,000 passports in 2023 and currently has no backlog of applications.

This follows the breakdown of processing applications in 2023, in which the Irish public had great difficulties obtaining passports.

Officials said that currently more than 50 percent of adult passport renewals are being issued within two working days.

"All turnaround times are at their target level," said an official, as quoted by the Irish Examiner.

While nearly half a million passports have been issued in 2023, passport authorities have said they expect to deliver 1.1 million passports this year.

The turn-around in passport deliveries has been credited by Passport Service officials to public's using the online passport application service.

"Currently over 90% of all passport applications are submitted online by citizens in Ireland and abroad," said officials.

While passport renewals are being processed in two days, those seeking new passports for adults or children are waiting the normal 20 days.

Those applications processed through the nation's postal services are seeing the normal eight weeks for processing.

Passport Service officials also said that in those cases where additional documents are required to process an application, the wait until delivery is 15 days.

Officials note that upgrades to the online process have quickened the processing time.

For instance, it is now possible to access the General Register Office birth records to validate information about applicants.