Derek McDowell (Labour)

This produces a very curious situation. The Minister fairly and reasonably gave us chapter and verse about the shady circumstances in which some passports were issued between 1988 and 1994. However, as I understand it, he is now effectively saying that if those guys were to come back and apply again — I assume they got time limited passports in the same way as most normal Irish citizens do — he does not believe there is any discretion to say no.