Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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160. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a list of the Acts or specific provisions of Acts under his Department that have not yet been commenced; if it is intended to commence the provision in each case; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40600/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Specific provisions of Acts under my Department that have not yet been commenced are Sections 14(8) and 14(9) of the Passports Act 2008 and paragraph (iv) of section 1 of the European Communities (Amendment) Act 2012.Sections 14(8) and 14(9) of the Passports Act would provide, if commenced, that guardians’ consent, to the issuing of a passport would be considered to be enduring for the child up to the age of 18. These provisions have not been commenced as changes to the passport technology system would require considerable modification, for which funding has not yet been obtained.

Paragraph (iv) of Section 1 of the European Communities (Amendment) Act 2012 will add to the definition of “treaties governing the European Union”, contained in Section 1 of the European Communities Act 1972; the Protocol on the concerns of the Irish people on the Treaty of Lisbon, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, done at Brussels on 16 May 2012. Paragraph (iv) of Section 1 of the 2012 Act will be commenced as soon as the Protocol has been ratified by all EU member states. At present, eight member states have yet to ratify the Protocol. Our embassies in those countries are in regular contact with the relevant national authorities with a view to encouraging ratification as soon as possible and my Department is closely monitoring the matter.