The director of the Passport Office has called for Irish people to have more "regard" for their passports as he reveals about 120 are lost every day.

Joseph Nugent told RTE Radio that more than 30,000 passports were reported missing each year.

“It’s an extraordinary number,” he said.

“We’d like people to have more regard for their passport. Give it the attention and respect that it deserves.”

Mr Nugent said the office normally received a box of passports found from organisers following festivals.

“It would be hundreds coming back to us after music festivals,” he said.

He said the “biggest problem” was young people using their passport as identification on Saturday nights.

Mr Nugent said to replace a lost passport took longer than a normal renewal, with the shortest turnaround three to 10 days.

“We have to take extra care,” he said.

“There is some evidence that some individuals do try and use use them for identity theft purposes.”

The issuing of Irish passports increased from 250,000 in 1995 to 631,000 in 2013.