Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 23 Apr 1991

Vol. 407 No. 3

Adjournment Debate. - Passport Applications.

Mr. Byrne

I want to raise with the Minister the difficulties being experienced by members of the public who require the signature of a member of the Garda Síochána on passport application forms. I experienced the great difficulties facing ordinary members of the public when I accompanied a young man to his local Garda station on his fourth attempt to get a Garda to sign the certificate of identity. This young man had tried unsuccessfully on three occasions, once accompanied by his father and carrying with him a birth certificate and the garda refused to sign the form on the grounds that he was not known personally to the garda. This man lives only 350 yards from the Garda station. Clearly this highlights the fact that in big urban areas it is not possible for the gardaí to know everybody. It is now proving easier for a person with a criminal record than a law abiding citizen to have a passport application form signed. For example, the public office in the Garda station I visited had no less then four notices on doors and windows with a ten point directive to applicants for passports issued by the Garda Síochána. It has been pointed out to me also that the ten point directive contains lots of waffle and is negative in its advice. Point No. 10 indicates that your identity is the central ingredient of your passport. It reads: "Please do not expect the Garda to certify it on production of a driving licence or similar document made out in your name". Points 4 and 5 state that if you are not known to the certifying garda your co-operation will be required in establishing your identity when presenting your application form. The Garda have quite rightly asked what formula or directive is there for them to prove the identity of the applicant. Point 5 states that it will avoid delay and unnecessary inquiry if you present your application form to a Garda station where you are known — many people are not known in a Garda station — or where your identity can be readily confirmed. The Garda again say that no directive has been given to them as to how they can easily confirm the identity of the applicant.

We are now entering the busy holiday period when many people will be applying for passports. I hope that after tonight's debate the Minister will bring about the following changes which will allow the ordinary citizen rights at least equal to those of the criminal who clearly has no difficulty in proving his identity. I am calling on the Minister to allow the same range of professionals to certify the identity of passport applicants as is the case outside the State. Public representatives should be given the right to sign certificates of identity. An applicant outside the State can have the choice of the signature of a clergyman, medical doctor, school principal, bank manager or assistant bank manager, practising lawyer, policeman, magistrate or judge. I would also ask the Minister to clear up the confusion for both the Garda and members of the public by instructing the Garda to accept the following documents as proof of identity: old or expired passports, driving licence with a photograph — that is the modern-type driving licence — birth certificate accompanied by a bankers card and any other documentation that the Minister believes is appropriate. I would like to emphasise that the parent of an applicant should be allowed authorise the identity of his or her family member.

In conclusion, given the recent disparaging remarks made by a District Court Judge, about Crumlin which is my constituency, I would like an assurance from the Minister that it is not the policy of the Garda to operate two standards when dealing with requests for signatures, one for the people from the more affluent areas of the city and another for those in working class districts.

Minister of State at the Department of Justice (Mr. N. Treacy)

I am sure the House will appreciate that a passport is a very important means of establishing identity when the holder is abroad. In fact, in most cases, it is the only means available to do so. It is in the interests of the State and of all Irish citizens that the Irish passport should have a good international reputation and be readily accepted by the authorities of other states. I understand that the Irish passport booklet in its production and manufacture meets the highest international standards and that various security elements are built in during its production. These security features are, I am informed, constantly being updated. However to preserve the integrity and reputation of the Irish passport these standards must be matched by the care taken to ensure that the processing of applications for passports is conducted in the most secure environment possible. As a result all passport applications must be accompanied by documentary evidence of the applicant's identity and citizenship.

Mr. Byrne

Name them.

Mr. N. Treacy

A necessary part of this process is the certification of an applicant's true identity. Regrettably a system of certification based, say, only on a birth certificate or a statement signed by a witness would not be reliable enough as such documentation can easily be obtained by anybody wishing to defraud the system.

Previously certification was performed by people of some standing in the community as well as by the Garda Síochána. Unfortunately this system proved unsatisfactory when a number of cases were uncovered involving such certification where fraudulent passport applications were lodged. In order to limit the number of such applications to the greatest extent possible it was decided to confine such certification to the Garda alone. The position is that if a garda does not know an applicant personally he may have him identified by another member of the force or by a reputable member of the public known to the identifying garda. As a result I believe that considerable progress has been made in eliminating passport application fraud.

To facilitate the public an application form may be presented at a Garda station in the area where the applicant works or resides or where the applicant formerly worked or resided. Indeed the applicant may present the form at any Garda station. Needless to say it avoids delay when the applicant presents the application form at a Garda station where the identity of the applicant can be readily confirmed. I am very pleased that Deputy Byrne has confirmed that in at least four places in the Garda station to which he referred the relevant Garda notice containing the ten points was posted publicly so that people would be aware of the position.

Mr. Byrne

We are still waiting to hear what documentation will be accepted by the Garda.

Mr. N. Treacy

This confirms the co-operation of the Garda in facilitating the public. However, it is inevitable that there will be some complaints about the system — we have heard one vexatious complaint here tonight — particularly in view of the large number of applications processed each year. Approximately 180,000 passports are issued by the Passport Office in Dublin every year. I believe however that the complaints are relatively few in comparison with the number of applications made. I can assure the House that the Garda are doing everything possible to ensure that the system runs smoothly. To this end the Garda authorities produced a leaflet which is designed to assist the applicant when making his application. These leaflets are available to the public in the Passport Office and at all Garda stations, as Deputy Byrne has confirmed. The Garda authorities have assured me that the present arrangements are working satisfactorily.

It concerns me to hear a Member of this House state that it is now easier for a criminal than for a law abiding citizen to get a passport application signed. This is totally untrue, and nobody is entitled to make such a statement. The Garda treat every application on its merits. There must be clear identification. We cannot have fraudulent passports issued. If Deputy Byrne wants a particular case investigated he should bring the information either to myself or to the Minister for Justice and we will have the investigation carried out. I want to assure the Deputy and the House that under no circumstances is there discrimination, nor are delaying tactics of any kind used by the Garda in their administration of this very excellent scheme. I thank them sincerely for their tremendous co-operation with the Passport Office.