Written answers

Thursday, 27 November 2008

Department of Foreign Affairs

Passport Applications

5:00 pm

Photo of Joe CostelloJoe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will reply to a letter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43270/08]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The person in question applied for a passport in 1995. The application was made in a surname adopted upon marriage and in accordance with normal procedure, the applicant's previous birth surname was also shown on the form. The applicant stated on the application form that she had not held a previous passport.

In the course of checking the applicant's data against the passport office database, it was discovered that a passport had been issued in 1988 to a person with the same first name, date of birth and former maiden name of the applicant. The Passport Office then contacted the person in question regarding the 1988 passport. The applicant stated that she had not been issued with a previous passport and inspection of the 1988 application file confirmed that this related to a separate individual. A passport was then issued to the person in question.

The Passport Office established separate passport files for the two individuals. The person in question renewed her passport without any difficulty in April 2006. She subsequently requested details of all passports issued to her. The Passport Office provided summary details from her passport file of the two passports issued to her in 1995 and 2006. The person in question then requested a copy of the application made in 1988. The Passport Office explained both by phone and in writing to the person in question that the application lodged in 1988 had been made by a different individual and that data protection legislation precluded the release of a copy of that application to her. A response to the letter dated 14 November 2008 to the Deputy will be issued shortly.

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