Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I was contacted recently by an Irish woman whose British wife gave birth to their son. When the Irish mother, who is the non-biological mother, wished to apply for an Irish passport for her child, she was told that she was not recognised as a mother under law and, therefore, was not entitled to apply for an Irish passport. I do not know what the legal interpretation is from the Department but I had attempted to legislate or to make an amendment to deal with the issue. I believe the Minister knows the parents who are affected and I am sure she empathises with the anxieties that they have. I ask that she might advocate with her colleagues in the Department of Justice and Equality to sort this out rather than leaving families to suffer that discrimination.