Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 76: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps, if any, a person (details supplied) in County Laois can take to obtain an Irish passport in circumstances in which they cannot produce a birth certificate, in view of the fact that they have fled their country of birth seeking asylum and have been granted naturalisation status in this State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14355/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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It is the normal practice of the Passport Service to seek original copies of birth certificates as part of applicant's proof of identity and, in many cases, to demonstrate his/her entitlement to Irish citizenship. The Department is aware that some Irish citizens who were granted refugee status by the State may have difficulty in locating a record of their birth and thus providing these certificates. The Department will consider this on a case by case basis where it arises in a passport application. However, such consideration must be mindful of the Department's clear statutory obligation under the Passport Act 2008 to satisfy itself as to the identity of each passport applicant. As regards the person in question, there is no record of a passport application having been made to the Department.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 77: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding an application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin. [14297/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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In the case of the person in question, an application for a passport was made to the Passport Office in Balbriggan through the ordinary post passport service on 26 April, 2011. Applications made through this service do not have a guaranteed turnaround service, as is the case for the Passport Express service. I am pleased to confirm that a passport issued to the applicant on 1 June.