Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of Irish passports issued to Irish people in Rhodesia during the period of sanction from 1965 to 1980; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23721/06]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 281: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of Irish passports which were withdrawn from Irish people living in Rhodesia during the period of sanction from 1965 to 1980; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23722/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 281 together.

In accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 253 of 1968, which imposed mandatory sanctions on the illegal regime in what was then Southern Rhodesia, new passports, or the renewal of existing ones, were not processed in the period 29 May 1968 to 21 December 1979 to Irish citizens for emigration to Southern Rhodesia nor to those of our citizens residing in Southern Rhodesia whose activities furthered or encouraged the unlawful actions of the regime. Since those restrictions were lifted, people who were affected have been able to avail of Irish passport facilities in the same way as Irish citizens generally.

The Department has been unable to locate a record of any individual passport having been withdrawn from an Irish citizen in the then Rhodesia during that period. However, if the Deputy has a particular case in mind, I will be happy to have the position checked out further.