Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I find it difficult to disagree with anything that the Minister of State has said as it is all correct. I join with him in his praise of the passport service. I had another positive experience there yesterday when I went into the Passport Office. The staff are considerate, professional and helpful. In fact, I received a text from a constituent this morning to tell me that he had submitted a passport application for his son on Sunday and received the passport this morning. There is no doubt that we can all be very proud of the passport service.

On the response, I hear what the Minister of State is saying. I do not want to in any diminish the security of our passports. Another feature of the Irish passport is the extent to which it is secure and reliable. The funny thing is what I propose does not diminish that security, first. Second, parents can still go through with the birth certificate but it does not mean that they cannot abduct children from the jurisdiction. Of course, we need to put in place whatever safeguards that we can to prevent that from happening. What I am talking about is not something that is going to compromise the security of the passport. It is something that is going to, as the Minister of State said, "enhance the essential citizens' service" that the passport service provides. Of course, it is something that is not required by the Act but it is something that can be done and it is something that I think we should do in order to enhance the ease of access by Irish citizens to different jurisdictions. There is a real opportunity here.I am sorry the Department does not see the way that this could happen. I hope they would give it consideration in future without compromising any elements of the Irish passport, to provide an additional measure for Irish parents.