Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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35. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a person who changes their name by deed poll must wait a particular period of time before changing their name on their passport; the length of time needed; the reason for same. [18289/14]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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36. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the procedures a person wishing to change their surname on their passport after getting married must go through if they present an Irish or UK marriage or civil partnership certificate; the procedure they must go through if they present a non-Irish or non-UK marriage or civil partnership certificate; the length of time both of these procedures take; the reason for any differences; the legislative provisions governing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18290/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 36 together.

The Passports Act 2008 provides the basis on which the name should appear on a passport. In general terms the name in which a passport may issue shall be in the name of the applicant as it appears in the relevant certificate of birth. The Passports Act makes further provision to have a change in surname on the passport after getting married. This name change is accommodated on submission of a passport application accompanied by a certificate of marriage or civil partnership from the appropriate civil registration authorities. The Passport Service does not distinguish between the country of origin of the civil registration certificate for name change purposes.

The Passports Act also provides the legal basis for name changes on passports by deed poll. Evidence to the satisfaction of the Passport Service which proves use of the new name for a period of two years is required for a passport to issue in a new name without any observation as to the name previously used.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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37. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to make available a contact within the passport office for Deputies to make inquiries on behalf of constituents. [18395/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Oireachtas members with urgent passport queries on behalf of constituents are advised to use a dedicated email address. In order to maximise resources and to allow queries to be dealt with in a prompt and timely manner Oireachtas members are requested to complete a short form when submitting these enquiries. This email address and form has been circulated to members a number of times in recent years and will be recirculated in the coming weeks. Additionally members are advised that the current status of a passport application can be checked on the Passport Tracking System () using the 11 digit barcode. This site is updated several times a day.