Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the change in criteria regarding the issuing and holding of diplomatic passports; the number and names of former officer-holders and others for whom holding such passports are no longer allowed; the circumstances in which passports were issued until the change in criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10746/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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In general terms diplomatic passports are issued to Irish diplomats serving overseas, members of the Oireachtas and the Judiciary who have reason to travel outside the State on official business. Official passports are issued to other public servants and members of the Defence Forces are serving overseas or who have reason to travel outside the State on official business. In case of both diplomatic and official passports, applications are only approved for those officials who are Irish citizens and can demonstrate that they require a passport for travel to undertake official business on behalf of the State. Passports received may only be used for this official travel. The recent memo for information of the government did not change this policy but rather aimed to clarify for all potential applicants the exact circumstances in which a diplomatic passport or official passport can be obtained.

There are a small number of citizens who currently hold diplomatic passports in respect of previous official positions/roles held or in respect of roles which fall outside of the terms of the proposed new arrangements. For data protection reasons it would be inappropriate for me to name these individuals. However I can state that my Department is currently in the process of contacting these individuals to facilitate their return of these passports.