Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

It now appears that when the House debates Bills on Report Stage, Ministers cannot go off script to respond to questions asked of them. I asked the Minister of State a simple question, namely, whether he could provide four examples of circumstances in which in the common good it might be justified to either not grant a passport or withhold someone's passport. He told me the Government wishes to retain the provision because it wants discretion in this regard but has not given me a single reason.

His comments on the second issue he has raised were interesting. The Minister of State wishes to be able to withhold or remove passports from people in circumstances in which, in the context of the wording, they might be endangered or might endanger themselves. Is he trying to prevent people in Ireland who may be intent on travelling to another country that permits euthanasia, such as Holland, from leaving Ireland? Is that what this is about? Alternatively, does the Minister intend to create some form of health service in Dublin Airport to carry out cardiac and thrombosis tests on all those over 65 who climb on aeroplanes? Such a health service in Dublin Airport would be better than that which obtains within the general health service.

The Minister stated that passports would be refused or withheld in circumstances indicated by someone's health. Does this refer to mental, or to physical health? If the former, procedures exist to have people compulsorily admitted to hospital who are psychiatrically unable to take care of themselves. This is a medical, rather than a passport issue. If this pertains to physical health, does that mean that any elderly people who are looking a bit grey on the day they fly may have their passports removed from them? How will this work? This is a Parliament and Members are entitled to ask for concrete examples of the circumstances to which this might apply. Moreover, the Minister of State should clarify whether it will apply in the circumstances I have just described.

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