AN IRISH WOLFHOUND is set to take centre stage on a new design for Irish passports.
A drawing of the breed will feature prominently in the redesigned document after being chosen as the most popular animal in a public consultation.
The current passport book is ten years old, and the International Civil Aviation Authority recommends documents undergo frequent revamps to include new security features.
The redesign relates to the pages inside the passport book. The burgundy cover with the national harp emblem will remain.
An online survey seeking the public’s feedback on what should feature in the new design opened last summer. Over 15,000 people took part in the consultation worldwide.
Along with the Irish wolfhound, the puffin and the red squirrel was also a popular choice among the respondents, while heather was the most popular plant, with more than half of participants selecting it in their top three.
An initial drawing of the new design was recently presented to the Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin.
The Tánaiste also met Boánn, an Irish wolfhound and ambassador of the breed for the Irish Wolfhound Club, who inspired the initial drawings.
Artist Denise Nestor drew the initial illustrations, which are early drafts of how the public’s selections will be represented in the next passport.
“It was important to see first-hand how the design team is transforming the public’s input into a coherent passport design,” Martin said.
“The Irish passport is a vital document of the Irish State that provides citizens with visa-free access to 192 countries. This redesign is fundamental to maintaining the integrity and reputation of the Irish passport worldwide.
“We share this island with a rich variety of plant life and a diverse range of animals and I look forward to seeing future design concepts as they progress.”
The redesigned imagery will also be layered with complex security techniques that add to the visual appeal and robust anti-fraud properties of the passport.
Wil Byrne, Secure Document Designer at security design specialist AG2 said that the public’s insights, Ireland’s rich variety of flora and fauna and a range of complex security features are all being incorporated into the new design.
“Our overall shared ambition is to ensure the Irish passport remains a world leader by creating the most secure and visually appealing passport for Irish citizens,” he said.
It’s hoped that the next generation Irish Passport will launch before the end of 2025.
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