Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 83: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if all requirements in respect of documentation have been submitted to facilitate and satisfy immigration requirements in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin who has been granted naturalisation and is waiting issue of a passport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11258/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Passports Act, 2008 requires that before issuing a passport to a person, the Minister for Foreign Affairs shall be satisfied as to the identity of each applicant and that the person is an Irish citizen. Documentary proof in respect of identity and entitlement to citizenship are required for all passport applications. These requirements are outlined in the passport application form notes that accompany each application form. Details are also available on the Department's website. Birth certificates are among the standard documents that are required for all applications that involve children and persons, aged 18 and over the age, who are first–time applicants. These certificates are critical to the passport process in the following ways:

1. Each certificate confirms and verifies the applicant's personal details such as his/her date and place of birth which appear on that person's passport.

2. They help to demonstrate the person's entitlement to Irish citizenship which is a pre-requisite for passport issue; and

3. Details of parents are stated on these certificates. This is important to the Passport Service in ensuring that the full parental consent to the issue of a passport to a minor is provided.

In the case of the person in question, an application for a passport was received by my Department on 18 March, 2011. The application was made through the Passport Express service which is a ten working day service for properly completed applications. The application was supported by the applicant's certificate of naturalisation, which demonstrated his entitlement to Irish citizenship, by an affidavit in regard to his birth details and proofs of the use of his name and address. In line with passport policy, the Department wrote to him on 31 March, 2011 requesting him to provide his birth certificate and to provide additional ID such as his Angolan passport.

On 6 April, 2011 the applicant spoke to an official in the Department to advise that he had been a refugee from Angola and that he did not have a passport from that country.

On 8 April, 2011 the applicant provided in support of his passport application, a letter from the Department of Justice and Law Reform, which confirmed his status as refugee in this country, additional ID in the form of his Irish driver's licence and a further copy of his affidavit of birth.

On 26 April, 2011 the Department spoke to the applicant to inform him that his passport application could not be finalised until details of his birth affidavit could be verified. To this end, enquiries have been made in regard to the status and completeness of civil records of births in Angola with the assistance of the Irish Embassy in Maputo which is accredited to that country. These enquiries are ongoing. As soon as this information is received by the Passport Service, the application in question will be finalised. The applicant will be advised of this accordingly.