Social media has had a hilarious take on the news that the Passport Express will be changing its name on the grounds that the title is misleading.
Fine Gael TD Emer Higgins uploaded a video to Twitter early this morning to announce that the An Post service would now be referred to as Post Passport.
“I am really pleased to say that following months long campaigning and media attention that An Post contacted me earlier to say they are going to change the name of Passport Express. There’s going to be a new name to reflect that it is not in fact an express service,” Emer told her followers in a video on Twitter.
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Many users did not share her enthusiasm for the name change and were quick to fire back in the comments section.
One individual pointed out that celebrating the change as a major victory was “tone deaf” considering many of the more serious issues affecting Irish society.
Others were quick to use sarcasm to make their feelings on the initiative clear.
“So emotional watching this. Such an exciting change to look forward to. I wish I'd known and been able to help with leaflets and canvassing. And a powerful video. I'm very hopeful for Ireland's future after seeing this,” one user brilliantly captioned underneath the video.
Another individual expressed his delight with the new move, joking that it would be of great assistance to him when leaving Ireland as a result of the “mess” Fine Gael had left the country in.
Higgins said that the word ‘express’ was misleading as it implies that passports will be delivered in a timely fashion, which is not always the case.
Passport applications made via post can often be subject to delay in comparison to those that are made online. First time applicants in particular often report lengthy waits for their passport to be delivered to their home address.
However, some users stood up for the service below Emer’s video and said that their passports did arrive within a timeframe of less than two weeks, saying “credit must be given where credit is due.”
Higgins said she has been working on this campaign closely with Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and An Post.
An Post acknowledged the name change in an official statement.
They also reminded customers to prepare for delays from six to eight weeks when applying or renewing their passport.
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