Irish people living in Britain will only have to travel to their nearest post office to apply for a new passport, after a request on the issue by the Government was approved in principle.
In a trial scheme, details of which are currently under discussion between the Irish Passport Office, An Post and the British Post Office, Irish citizens will be able to get applications for Irish passports in any participating post offices.
The trial is designed to test whether the service will be commercially viable. Applicants will also be able to send their applications back to the issuing offices in Dublin or London through the participating post offices in Britain.
At the moment Irish citizens in Britain must apply for their passport either through the Irish Embassy in London or by post directly to the Irish Passport Office in Dublin.