asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will reduce the age of those eligible to apply for passports without corroborative support from designated persons from 21 to 18 years; and the grounds on which designated persons, for the purpose of verifying the credentials of an under-age person who seeks a passport, are chosen.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Passport Applications .
17.
: Under the Guardianship of Infants Act, 1964, a father and mother have equal guardianship rights over their children who are under 21 years of age. It is therefore necessary to obtain the permission of both parents before passports can be issued to applicants under the age of 21.
: The Minister has the power to change the law in that area.
: The Minister has not the power to change the law in relation to the qualification of minors. That is a matter for the Government to consider in another area.
: That is what I am asking.
: It is not for me to answer on behalf of another Minister.
: Is the Minister not aware that there have been numerous cases in which there have been difficulties experienced in this regard, in which people seeking passports have not been given the consent of both parents even though they were just under 21 years of age? Is the Minister prepared, in his Department, on the basis of that experience, to make representations to the relevant Minister responsible to have the law changed?
: The matter is under consideration at present.