ALMOST 60,000 people from Northern Ireland applied for an Irish passport in first three months of this year.
Figures also show more than 112,000 people sought a passport during March - the original date for Britain's exit from the EU - which the highest ever number in a single month.
The Irish department of foreign affairs also received 4,800 phone and 1,500 web inquiries every week.
There were 58,000 applications received from the north and 41,000 from Britain during the first quarter.
Sinn Féin senator Niall Ó Donnghaile said the Irish government should invest in improved services north of the border.
"March was yet another record-breaking month for Irish passport applications, with one-in-three applications coming from the north and Britain," he said.
"Statistics also show that applications from the north and Britain between January and March were up 71 per cent and 103 per cent.
"The Irish government must act to ease the evident burden on staff and meet the unprecedented demand where it emanates from.
"Thousands of people have signed the online petition calling for the location of passport office facilities in the north."
