Demands are being made for more staff to be deployed to the passport office.
Around 1.7 million passport applications are expected to be made in the weeks and months ahead as people book holidays abroad as Covid restrictions ease.
But Fine Gael Senator Garret Ahearn says there is a "passport emergency" as work continues to clear a backlog and deal with new applications.
He said a number of things can be done.
Mr Ahearn told Newstalk: "We need more staff, that's certainly one thing because we're going from 600,000 passports issued this last year. We need a reminder for people that passports are out of date, a little bit like the motor tax, an email to remind you that you're out of date."
He added: "Also I think the industry needs to do something, in terms of when you're booking I think you need to be asked for your passport number."
