Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 176: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the provisions that exist for the renewing of a child's passport in circumstances whereby the child's parents, although married, are temporarily residing in different countries from each other (details supplied) therefore preventing one party from signing the consent form on the passport renewal application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32066/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Passports Act, 2008 provides that 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 issuance of that passport.

In this case, the parents are married. Under Irish law they are the legal guardians of their child. Accordingly, their witnessed consent, albeit provided from different locations, must be provided.

The list of acceptable witnesses for the signing of this consent is quite extensive and is not limited to police officers. It includes a member of the clergy, medical doctor, lawyer, bank manager, elected public representative, notary public/commissioner for oaths, peace commissioner, school principal/vice principal or accountant who is personally known to the signatory or is identified to witness by someone known to them. The father of the child in question may, therefore, may wish to use one of these witnesses for his consent.