Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

Those who administer and issue passports must be very careful of situations that involve a serious threat of international terrorism. I am not referring to Irish jurisdiction, but the attacks of 11 September 2001, for example, involved people who used passports and travel documents. Given the vast number of people travelling, it is very difficult to check the identities of people quickly, but the biometric passport is intended to help in that regard. When I was a passport officer 30 years ago there was a large black book in which various names were manually recorded but I am sure those days are long gone.

Reference was made to the relocation of the passport office to Balbriggan and I share the view that a front office is needed in the city centre. However, a great deal of passport processing is done by post so there is no reason that function must be carried out in Dublin city rather than another town.

I welcome this legislation because, while there have been many Irish nationality and citizenship Bills, they are slightly separate, though connected, to this issue. I am surprised to learn that there has been no recent passport legislation. Where administrative practices exist, and given the close monitoring of administrative acts carried out by the Judiciary, it is important to ensure the law is clear.

See this speech in context