Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

We have about three specialised machines that are, for security reasons, unique to the country from the viewpoint of manufacture. Contingency planning is involved in the event of breakdown or whatever.

In terms of extending the validity of all existing passports, again there are standards with regard to international travel documents which limit passports to ten years, and therefore it is not possible to provide such an extension. The key issue in that regard was acceptability in the US and elsewhere. There were extensive negotiations, too, with the airlines, including Ryanair, but its security considerations did not facilitate matters. It said it could not waive the security arrangements it has in place to accommodate, for example, travel to Britain. That was a matter it had to take on board in terms of its security policy.

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