Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 99: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding a passport in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7571/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Under the Passport Act, 2008 the Minister for Foreign Affairs must be satisfied that before issuing a passport that each person who is a guardian of the child consents to the issue of a passport to the child. In most cases, the guardians of a child are the married parents. However, a single mother or, on occasion, other family members may be the appointed a guardian or sole guardian of child. The circumstances of each case may differ. As no application for the person in question has been received by the Passport Service, it is not possible to comment on this application or to judge the adequacy of the unsighted custody order. As court orders can vary depending on individual circumstances it would be necessary to see the terms of this specific court order before being in a position to determine whether it would suffice alone. Given the variables in this complex area of the passport application process, the guardian(s) of the child should submit a fully completed and witnessed application directly to Joseph Nugent, Director of Passport Services, at the Passport Office, Molesworth Street (tel 01- 6733558) where this matter will receive immediate and sensitive attention. It should be noted that the application should be supported by the following documents:

1 original copy of the applicant's long-form birth certificate;

2 previous passport:

3 the mother's death certificate;

4 parents' marriage certificate if applicable;

5 the interim custody order or any other court order.