Passport Services
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-26
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Barry Ward (FG), Dún Laoghaire

I thank the Minister of State very much. I know he is providing the House with a response that has been prepared on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has described it as an "update". It is far from an update. I read through the transcript of what was said in the Seanad on 7 March 2023. There are so many similarities as there to be no update whatever so ever. It is exactly the same issue about what is required. The Minister of State said in his response is that it is not required by the Act. So what? It is required by common sense and we can change the Act to reflect common sense.
The Minister of State then told us guardianship can change during the currency of a passport. Of course it can. It is not beyond our systems to have a situation whereby a passport can be amended or whereby, in a change of guardianship, a notification to the Passport Office be required to change or cancel a passport. The Minister of State has also told us that the child may become an adult during the currency of the passport. Of course that is also true, but exactly the same provisions apply.
It is totally clear in the question I asked that I am not suggesting that a child would be included on a parent's or guardian's passport. That is clearly outside the parameters of what happens now. It may have happened in the past but it does not happen any more, and that is not the question I am asking. What I am talking about is not about interfering with the identity page of a passport, but on the page opposite that, providing additional details that will help parents to cross international borders with their children who happen to have different names.
Here is the most extraordinary thing. Almost exactly the same sentence was stated in the Seanad three years ago as when the Minister of State stated here, "The passport service does not have any plans to expand the purpose of a passport to indicate a guardianship relationship between a child and their guardians but continues to consider ways in which to enhance this essential citizen service." That is exactly the same line that was given three years ago, so here is my final question. What has actually been considered to enhance this service? What has actually changed between now and then to enhance the service we are providing to our citizens, notwithstanding the fact that I have clearly identified a lacuna and a failing of that service to certain citizens who happen not to share their surname with their children?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-26/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:04+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-26