asked the Minister for External Affairs if he is aware that in recently issued passports the name of His Majesty King George V (deceased) has been used instead of His Majesty King George VI, to describe the King of England, in whose name the passports are issued, and also that the words "Irish Free State (British Commonwealth of Nations)" are used instead of "Eire"; and if he will take steps accordingly to have the necessary changes made; also, if he will provide that in future such passports are issued bilingually so that the Irish language may get its rightful precedence in international documents of this nature.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Issue of Passports.
I am aware of the matters referred to in the first part of the Deputy's question. The question of the form of the passport generally is under consideration. As the Deputy should know, the request page is drawn up in the Irish as well as in the English language and the remainder of the passport form is in three languages, namely, Irish, English and French. The existing application form, which must be filled in by every applicant for a passport, is itself drawn up both in Irish and in English, and applicants are at liberty to fill up the application form in the Irish language if they so desire. Where that is done the practice of the passport office has hitherto been to fill in the descriptive details in the Irish language under the appropriate captions in the passport itself. I have given instructions that henceforth the descriptive details should be filled in in Irish in all cases even when the application form is in English only. It may also be necessary in certain cases to fill in the details in a third language.