Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 September 2013
59. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reasons for the delay in approving a passport in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will expedite the matter. [39899/13]
View answerA passport application in respect of a person of a similar name was registered in Cork Passport Office on 21/08/2013. In accordance with the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 2004, the citizenship entitlement of every person born on the island of Ireland on or after 1 January, 2005 is governed by the citizenship of the person's parents at the time of the person's birth or the residency history of one of the parents prior to the birth, in this case from 28/03/2009 to 28/03/2013. When this application was first received some of the documentation was incorrectly completed and additionally no documentation regarding residency of the mother for the years 2012 and 2013 was submitted. A letter outlining in detail what was required was issued on 3/09/2013. The letter also suggested that evidence of the child’s father could also be submitted as evidence of reckonable residency.
Documentation was returned to the Passport Office on 6/09/2013 in support of the mother’s residency, but was still incomplete. The Cork Office made contact with the applicant's mother by phone and outlined what was required in support of her application. However, over the course of the telephone conversation the applicant’s mother indicated that she did not have sufficient documents to prove her residency as required. On 10/09/2013, the Passport Office wrote again to the family and asked whether evidence of reckonable residency in respect of the father could be provided.
The passport application can be considered further when this necessary documentation is supplied.
