ag2

A proud day for Ireland – and for AG2

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:39:39 GMT

A proud day for Ireland – and for AG2

Today, Helen McEntee, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, officially launches the new Irish Passport, and we are deeply honoured to have served as the chosen design partner for this landmark project.

A document of this significance is never the work of one organisation. Heartfelt thanks to the DFA team at Passport Services for their vision and partnership, and to the entire vendor team, comprising manufacturers, security feature suppliers, and technical specialists — whose expertise and dedication brought this design to life.

At AG2, we believe that great identity documents are built on Security by Design — where protection is embedded at every layer, not added as an afterthought. Working on the Irish Passport has been an immense privilege.

Here’s to a safer, more trusted world — one document at a time!

Watch Official Video from the Department of Foreign Affairs Here

AG2 Support Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) Outreach Programme

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 14:16:05 GMT

AG2 Support Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) Outreach Programme

FSI came to AG2 with an important mission.

To help enhance their outreach program through engaging educational experiences that will spark children’s interest in forensic science.

Upon receiving this brief, the AG2 team met to explore ways to present a workshop that is not only educational and interactive but also immersive for this audience.

The Great Gallery Heist

The result was a workshop called ‘The Great Gallery Heist’ where the children get to step into the role of detectives and are tasked with solving a thrilling art heist. Using a buildable, transportable display that simulates an art gallery, the children can fully immerse themselves in investigating the pieces of evidence presented to them by conducting forensic experiments to identify the culprits behind the heist.

Building the Case File

No investigation would be complete without its case file. Our team designed all the assets that would resemble a real-life investigation, including: a crime report, suspect profiles, a map of the gallery, an evidence checklist, a fingerprint comparison sheet and the final accusation form.

Evidence Display Table

We, of course, are not going to give away the full story of what clues were obtained in the investigation, but what we can say is that various testing modes that were included resemble a real-life investigation, such as fingerprint scanning, examining hidden messages under UV light, and fibre analysis.

This engaging experience that was created not only teaches important forensic techniques but also fosters critical thinking and teamwork, making it an ideal addition to FSI’s outreach efforts. It can also be modified for different age groups to further enhance engagement and ensure the content is appropriate for all participants.

Thank you to the team at FSI for entrusting AG2 with this project. We are proud to have been involved and hope it helps to inspire the forensic scientists of tomorrow.

AG2 Receives Certification for the INTERGRAF 15374 Standard

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 10:28:05 GMT

AG2 Receives Certification for the INTERGRAF 15374 Standard

We were delighted to receive the news recently that AG2 has successfully completed the INTERGRAF 15374 programme and received certification.

So, what is INTERGRAF 15374 and what does it mean for AG2 and our clients?

INTERGRAF 15374 is a key international certification for suppliers to the secure printing industry, and achieving it underlines AG2’s commitment to practicing world‑class security standards and trusted supply chain practices. For our customers in Ireland and internationally, it is a clear, independent assurance that AG2 operates to the same stringent benchmarks required of leading security printers worldwide.

Security printers and their suppliers operate in an ecosystem where even the most minuscule of weaknesses can be exploited for counterfeiting, forgery or diversion of sensitive materials. INTERGRAF 15374 strengthens the entire secure printing value chain, from the production of substrates and inks to the delivery of finished passports, ID cards, banknotes and other documents of value. For governments and issuers, this translates directly into higher confidence in the integrity of every component used in their secure documents.

Core requirements of INTERGRAF 15374

To achieve INTERGRAF 15374 certification, AG2 had to implement a comprehensive, risk‑based security management system tailored to the secure printing supply chain. These included:

Risk‑based security management
Logical and physical security controls
Supply chain and process security
Personnel vetting and training
Documented, auditable policies

What INTERGRAF 15374 means for AG2 and our clients

For an Irish company specialising in secure design and production support, INTERGRAF 15374 is more than a badge – it is a practical enabler of trust and opportunity. It signals to governments, public bodies and private sector partners that AG2’s secure supply capabilities are aligned with internationally recognised security management best practice.

INTERGRAF certification is internationally recognised and demonstrates compliance with rigorous European and global security requirements for the secure printing industry. This gives customers confidence that our facility, processes and controls have been independently verified by specialist auditors.

For issuing authorities and partners, the certification is tangible evidence that AG2’s operations are designed to minimise blind spots and reduce opportunities for forgery, tampering or component leakage. It complements our security‑by‑design approach to document design, ensuring that both our creative work and our environment are aligned to protect the integrity of identity and other sensitive documents.

AG2 Take to the Stage at ID4Africa

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 15:34:01 GMT

AG2 Take to the Stage at ID4Africa

AG2 were delighted to travel to Cape Town for the 10th anniversary of the ID4Africa conference among a record number of 2100 delegates from across the globe.

“Founded in 2014, ID4Africa is the only Pan-African Movement that helps African nations build strategic capacity needed for developing robust and responsible identity ecosystems in the service of development and humanitarian action.” https://id4africa.com/

While attending the conference, our Managing Director, Andy Clarkin was delighted to join a panel of Irish businesses to share his insights on the exciting opportunities in Africa.

Having worked in countries like Tanzania and Nigeria, Andy highlighted the importance that robust document security plays in today’s digital age and the critical role of developing local partnerships. During his talk, Andy also offered the following advice for Irish companies looking to expand into Africa:

Build Strong Local Partnerships
Understand the Unique Market Needs
Remain Agile to Adapt to Changing Environments

Have You Met Boánn, the Irish Wolfhound for Ireland’s New Passport Design?

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 15:32:20 GMT

Have You Met Boánn, the Irish Wolfhound for Ireland’s New Passport Design?

As a result of a public consultation held last year among 15,000 Irish people living at home and abroad offered their opinions on what flora and fauna should feature in the redesigned passport due for release in late 2025.

It’s no surprise that the much loved Irish Wolfhound came in at top of the list for the most popular fauna.

In March, initial illustrations set to feature in the new Irish passport were presented to Tánaiste, Micheál Martin. Artist Denise Nestor draft illustration of the Irish Wolfhound was inspired by three-year-old- Boánn who was bred in the Boyne Valley and is an ambassador for the Irish Wolfhound Club.

Speaking about the Irish passport, the Tánaiste commented: it was important to see “how the design team is transforming the public’s input into a coherent passport design. The Irish passport is a vital document of the Irish State that provides citizens with visa-free access to 192 countries.

Mr Martin continued, “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.”

AG2 is delighted to once again be contracted to design the New Irish Passport, speaking about the public consultation, Secure Document designer, Wil Byrne said, “the public’s insights will be incorporated in the redesign. 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”

Tanzanian Passport Wins Award at HSP Europe

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 15:30:26 GMT

Tanzanian Passport Wins Award at HSP Europe

The new Tanzania e-Passport has been honoured with a major award at the High Security Printing conference in Europe.

The award win is part of the Tanzania e-Immigration program being widely recognised as one that is transforming the immigration system of this African nation. Tanzania moved from a traditional MRP booklet to a complete e-Immigration system – and it did it in record time. In just four months, Tanzania transitioned from awarding the contract to HID Global and its partners, Smurfit Kappa Security Concepts (previously DLRS Group Security Concepts), AG2 (security arm of Absolute Graphics) and Softnet, to completion.

Wil Byrne of AG2 was the lead designer on the project. The design of the booklet captures local themes and cultures across the visa pages, datapage and end papers, helping to generate a sense of national pride in the passport holder.

“This passport was a delight to design both from an aesthetic and technical perspective. We hoped to capture the richness of Tanzanian culture and put it on display alongside the magnificent wildlife for which the country is renowned” said Wil Byrne.

“The award for the Tanzanian e-Passport reflects on the team effort that it took from forward-thinking government officials to our partners, to our internal HID team. Tanzania’s e-Passport is being recognised as a breakthrough example of a next-generation citizen ID.” said Steve Warne, Senior Director, Product Marketing, Citizen ID business with HID Global.

“This award further endorses the quality of product provided by Smurfit Kappa Security Solutions,” added Tom O’Mahony, Managing Director of Smurfit Kappa Security Concepts.

“This award was also bestowed on the Irish Passport (2014) and Irish Passport Card (2016), both of which were provided by Smurfit Kappa Security Concepts in partnership with HID and AG2, and we are very proud to be part of the team that delivered this award-winning passport book to Tanzania.”

The country now has a single citizen identification system that spans the entire identity journey from data capture to issuance and can be used to support e-Passports, e-Visas, e-Permits and other physical electronic documents. The solution is also “future ready,” anticipating the requirements of the next generation of identities.

Other Media Coverage:

HID Global
Smurfit Kappa Security Concepts
Associated Press

Irish Passport Card and Online Passport Renewal Now Available for Children on DFA.ie

Sun, 16 Dec 2018 15:28:34 GMT

Irish Passport Card and Online Passport Renewal Now Available for Children on DFA.ie

November 28th 2018 marked the launch of the expanded online passport renewal service. The expansion of the service introduces an online renewal service for children’s passports, introduces a passport card for children, and expands the categories of adults who can renew their passport online. The expansion of the service effectively means that all Irish citizens can renew their passports online, 24/7, from anywhere in the world.

This is a welcome new service and is part of the overall Irish Passport Service modernisation initiative.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney commented “It is important that the Passport Service continues to use technology in order to gain efficiencies and deliver the best possible service to the citizen. This expanded service is an example of that and will permit all citizens, both adults and children, to renew their passports, 24/7, from anywhere in the world.”

Head of office, Fiona Penollar said “The main thing is that from now on all Irish children no matter where they are in the world will be able to renew online.”

AG2 worked with WorldReach software of Ottawa and Advanced Track and Trace of Paris to deliver the facial validation and secure Guardian Consent form components of the project. Technical Director Wil Byrne says “AG2 is proud to be associated with the delivery of this ground-breaking service for passport renewals in Ireland.”

For more information and to avail of this service, visit the official website here .

Media Coverage:

AG2 Attend Intergraf Security Printers Conference and Exhibition

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 15:23:12 GMT

AG2 Attend Intergraf Security Printers Conference and Exhibition

Andy and Wil attended Intergraf, the Security Printers Conference and Exhibition that was held at the Convention Centre in Dublin.

The event welcomed over 850 delegates from across the globe from both public and private sectors. This conference afforded the opportunity to examine the latest trends and innovative practices driving security printing whilst also hearing from industry leaders through a series of thought provoking presentations.

AG2 Complete Design of ePassport for Tanzania

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 15:17:28 GMT

AG2 Complete Design of ePassport for Tanzania

AG2’s Wil Byrne was one of the guests at the launch of the new ePassport for Tanzania on Wednesday 31st of January. Wil was the lead designer on the project with DLRS Group delivering book production. Both Wil and DLRS were part of the HID Global team that delivered a cutting edge eTravel solution that will provide smoother travel and improved border security for Tanzania.

The new e-passport will make travel easier for the country’s citizens, such as simply scanning their passports electronically at border control stations upon entry and exit. The e-passport conforms to all international standards as set out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ensuring that its features can be used by Tanzanians as they travel around the world.

A notable benefit is that an e-passport holder can be issued with an emergency passport on their smartphone if their passport is stolen or lost. This convenient solution is enabled using HID’s award-winning Seos technology for mobile citizen IDs, called HID goID.

Featured Media

Department of Foreign Affairs
ASSA ABLOY
Africa Times
The Irish Times
DLRS Group

AG2 and Keypasco Welcome New Customer Identicare

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 15:13:54 GMT

AG2 and Keypasco Welcome New Customer Identicare

Last November, we travelled to the Trustech Conference to join our partners Keypasco at their stand. Professionals from the trust-based technologies gathered together for 3 days in the beautiful surrounding of Cannes, France.

For AG2 and Keypasco, the event marked a very special occasion, the announcement of our new client – Identicare.

Identicare is focussed on the self-care area and has created a complete range of patient-centric medication assessment and monitoring tools under the brand IdentiKit. The aim of these tools is to expand the role of the pharmacist at the centre of patient care by providing timely, good-quality, trustworthy information to both the patient and the care team.

Upon launching this solution, Identicare identified the need to invest in cutting edge security at every level in order to ensure compliance with the strictest data protection requirements.

“When it comes to cloud solutions that handle patient specific data, one cannot compromise. It is essential to choose the best security partners available.”

The Keypasco solution uses the unique DeviceID on the end-user’s own device, such as a smartphone, to make sure that the username and password only works on the right device and in the right location.

Both AG2 and Keypasco are delighted to have Identicare on board and we look forward to watching this very exciting technology develop further in 2018.

AG2 Attend Twelfth Symposium and Exhibition on Machine Readable Travel Documents

Wed, 24 Jan 2018 15:12:06 GMT

AG2 Attend Twelfth Symposium and Exhibition on Machine Readable Travel Documents

On the 15th of November, Eddie Byrne and Andy Clarkin set off to Montreal, Canada to attend the 12th Symposium and Exhibition on Machine Readable Travel Documents.

The Symposium addressed the ICAO Traveller Identification Programme among other items to include:

MRTD Standards and Best Practice
Document Security
Identification Management
Related Border Security Issues
This Symposium afforded us the opportunity to speak to industry partners and experts to talk about the latest travel identification technologies.

We look forward to returning to the 13th Symposium in November 2018.

AG2 Partners with Swedish Keypasco to Deliver Award Winning MDM Solution in Irish Market

Tue, 14 Nov 2017 15:10:14 GMT

AG2 Partners with Swedish Keypasco to Deliver Award Winning MDM Solution in Irish Market

14/11/2017 Today Wicklow based security company AG2, announced a partnership with Swedish mobile device security company, Keypasco.

AG2 is a trading name of Absolute Graphics who have gained both national and international recognition for their specialised security design projects including the Irish passport and Irish passport card.

“Significant effort and time has been invested in order to gain a foothold in this specialist niche market where the greatest barrier-to-entry is credibility. With GDPR regulation nearly upon us, AG2 is uniquely positioned to deliver this innovative product range to the Irish Market” Eddie Byrne, Managing Director.

With increased usage of mobile devices to complete online transactions in the home and work, the need for a reliable MDM solution for app creators has become ever more prevalent. Keypasco has designed an award winning, patented solution using unique DeviceID on the end user’s device to make sure that a username and password only works on the right device and in the right location for that extra level of security. Simply, Security by Your Own Device!

“Our solution provides the same or higher level of security and accuracy compared to the best hardware solutions without the high costs of upfront investments, administration, logistics and without update limitations. And it’s not either or; our solution will always highly improve your current solution. In addition, to ensure a convenient user experience, the cutting-edge technology is working in the background to maintain the security behind the provider’s ordinary application interface’ – Per Skygebjerg, Chief Operating Officer, Keypasco.

The key goal is to be able to provide state of the art security solutions to Irish technology providers. AG2 and Keypasco are the perfect combination of award winning security design and state of the art technological solutions.

Eddie Byrne continues: “Partnering with Keypasco means that we can add an extra layer of security intelligence to our offering giving our clients peace of mind”.

“Together with AG2 and our other global partners, we can spread Keypasco’s ground breaking technology not just in Ireland but around the Globe. Per Skygebjerg, Chief Operating Officer, Keypasco.

“We are delighted to be the only Irish partner for Keypasco and are keen to share this cost-effective, user-friendly solution with current and future developers.” Eddie Byrne, Managing Director, AG2.

The Online Passport Application Service is Now Live

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 15:08:29 GMT

The Online Passport Application Service is Now Live

March 30th 2017 marked the introduction of the Online Passport Application Service (OPAS), the first service of its kind, allowing adults to renew their passports online wherever they are in the world.

This service will revolutionise the traditional Irish passport service, allowing citizens over the age of 18 renewing their passport, to access the service through this online platform.

Charlie Flanagan TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, commented “The launch of the Online Passport Application Service is one of the most significant innovations in customer service that this Department has delivered over the past fifteen years.”

Absolute Graphics, working with partner WorldReach Software, is proud to have been involved in the creation of this innovative platform alongside; Action Point, Photo-Me and Bearing Point.

Irish Passport Card is recognised for outstanding achievement by winning a coveted Best ID Document award.

Fri, 18 Mar 2016 15:06:21 GMT

Irish Passport Card is recognised for outstanding achievement by winning a coveted Best ID Document award.

Reconnaissance, the organisers of High Security Printing Europe , revealed the winners of the Regional ID Document of the Year 2016 at a special ceremony during the conference in Bucharest, Romania on 15 March 2016.

The award aims to promote the best in security printing, system infrastructure and implementation of a government passport, identity or other security card scheme.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade, Mr. Charlie Flanagan TD, has welcomed the award, saying;

“The awarding of this prestigious industry award to Ireland for the Passport Card, which I launched last October, is a significant and well-deserved peer- acknowledgement of an Irish-led and Irish-designed project. I would like to extend my congratulations to all involved in the development of the card and in particular DLRS and Absolute Graphics of Bray, HID Ireland of Baile na hAbhainn and Purple Pod of Navan.

“This award recognises that Ireland is at the cutting edge of technological and security developments in the increasingly important and challenging area of identification documentation. As we prepare to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and to promote Ireland’s interests across the globe, the award is also a timely reminder of what Irish-led creative thinking and innovation can achieve at a global level.”

Absolute are delighted to have been a partner in the design and production of the card and it’s accompanying app and we are honoured to receive this prestigious international award, which recognises the quality and innovation of the card, and the benefit it delivers.

Absolute at the Eleventh Symposium and Exhibition on Machine Readable Travel Documents

Thu, 15 Oct 2015 15:04:18 GMT

Absolute at the Eleventh Symposium and Exhibition on Machine Readable Travel Documents

Wil Byrne and Andy Clarkin attended this years symposium which is now in its 11th iteration and took place at ICAO Headquarters in Quebec, Canada. The symposium showcases a wide range of products and sevices related to travel document security application, border inspection and automated border control systems.

This years ICAO TRIP Strategy was focused on the foundations of holistic traveller identification management, including how to contribute to the capacity of Member States to uniquely identify individuals by providing tools and knowledge to establish and confirm the identity of travellers.

Elements of the ICAO TRIP Strategy:

Evidence of identity: credible evidence of identity, involving the tracing, linkage and verification of identity against breeder documents to ensure the authenticity of identity;
Machine Readable Travel Documents (MRTDs): the design and manufacture of standardized MRTDs, including ePassports, that comply with ICAO specifications, hence minimizing document fraud, including current and emerging ICAO MRTD Standards, Recommended Practices and specifications, best practices and the 24 November 2015 deadline for the expiration of non-machine readable passports;
Document issuance and control: processes and protocols for document issuance by appropriate authorities to authorized holders, and controls to prevent theft, tampering and loss;
Inspection systems and tools: inspection systems and tools for the efficient and secure reading and verification of MRTDs and eMRTDs, including use of the ICAO Public Key Directory (PKD); and
Interoperable applications: globally interoperable applications and protocols that provide for timely, secure and reliable linkage of MRTDs and their holders to available and relevant data in the course of inspection operations. need of inter-agency cooperation and data sharing to ensure the integrity of passport issuance and border controls.

The New Irish Passport Card

Tue, 06 Oct 2015 14:57:40 GMT

The New Irish Passport Card

Ireland’s new passport card is here, officially launched on the 5th October 2015. The passport card allows holders to travel across Europe without needing their traditional passport book.

To apply for a new card could not be any easier, simply take a selfie using the new mobile app or upload a photo using the online application system.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan told reporters at an event to launch the card. “It is, in effect, a passport and it carries all the attributes and entitlements of a passport and should be treated with great care, as you would a passport,”

The ministry said DLRS based in Bray are the lead company in the design and production of these cards. They have partnered with HID Global Ireland Teoranta based in Baile na hAbhann, Galway and Absolute Graphics based in Bray.

The Passport card is one of the first of its kind to include an embedded hologram photo on a strip on the reverse of the card.

Absolute and the New Irish Passport Card

Mon, 05 Oct 2015 14:55:49 GMT

Absolute and the New Irish Passport Card

Minister Charles Flanagan releases the New Irish Passport card pictured here, left to right; Mark Gaffney – Purple Pod, Andy Clarkin – Absolute Graphics, Minister Charles Flanagan, Wil Byrne – Absolute Graphics, David O’Connor – DLRS.

Absolute were tasked along side DLRS and HID Global Ireland Teoranta with the design and production of the new Irish Passport Card.

Absolute feature in The Vault magazine

Fri, 21 Nov 2014 15:01:53 GMT

Absolute feature in The Vault magazine

Absolute are very proud to be featured in an article in The Vault magazine, titled ‘Security Meets Innovation’. The article focuses on the work we did on the Irish passport and the incredible journey we undertook to achieve the finished product that has now been issued to thousands of Irish citizens.

You can read the article here .

International Award for Passport Design

Tue, 18 Feb 2014 14:45:57 GMT

International Award for Passport Design

A consortium of Irish led companies wins the Regional ID Document of the Year 2014. The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, T.D., congratulated the consurtium which included DLRS of Bray, HID Ireland of Baile na hAbhainn, Absolute Graphics and the Central Bank.

The award was presented at the High Security Printing Conference in Milan for the passport book which was designed and produced by the consortium.

The Tánaiste said: “I would like to congratulate the companies involved in winning this international award. They combined innovative use of modern security measures with images of Irish culture and landscapes in a book that has been well received by Irish citizens around the world. Today the international security printing industry also recognises this achievement.

“I am particularly pleased that the work was undertaken by a group of young energetic Irish designers with a passion to deliver a world class product. This award proves Irish companies are competing against the best and winning on the global stage.”

The award itself recognises outstanding achievement in the design and printing of identity documents in Europe. The passport book was designed with pioneering use of many new high security printing technologies and techniques.

Absolute Graphics complete work on the new Irish passport

Thu, 03 Oct 2013 14:49:10 GMT

Absolute Graphics complete work on the new Irish passport

THE new passport – which features iconic images of Irish culture and landmarks on each page – was launched today. Absolute Graphics have spent over a year developing this special project.

As well as the new design, the passport will be very secure, and would be very hard to forge or copy. Launching the passport in Dublin, Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore commented;

“We have combined the latest security technology with selected imagery in order to produce a passport which represents Ireland – our culture, our history, our people,” he said.

Among the images on the passport pages are Croagh Patrick, the Rock of Cashel, as well of images of people playing gaelic games.

Also featured is poetry from WB Yeats, Nuala Ni Dhomhmaill and James Orr.

Other landmarks featured are Kylemore Abbey, the Aviva Stadium and the Samuel Beckett Bridge over the Liffey, with the Custom House and Dublin Convention Centre in the backdrop.

Half-form images of 14 different river gods – like those on the Custom House and Liffey bridges, in Dublin city centre – are at the edge of each page.

The images only fully form when two different pages fold back on each other, and Mr Gilmore says this is an additional security feature.

The passport book was designed and produced in Ireland by a consortium led by security printers DLRS, based in Bray, Co Wicklow; HID Ireland of Baile na hAbhainn, Co Galway; and the Central Bank.

However, the main designers of the images on the passport was a team from Absolute Graphics in Bray.