Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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163. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the document which will satisfy his Department regarding passport applications by stateless persons who may be entitled to citizenship but not a public services card. [22443/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, all passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act, 2008 (the Act). The Act provides, among other things, that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to him/her.

As of 29 March 2016 all first-time passport applicants aged eighteen and above who are resident in Ireland are required to present a photocopy of their individual Public Services Card (PSC) for identification purposes.

The measure has been important in enhancing protection against fraud and identity theft and in upholding the integrity of the Irish passport. It also ensures that the identity of first-time applicants for Irish passports continues to be verified to a high standard.

First-time adult passport applicants who do not currently have a PSC can obtain one through a secure process of in-person registration via their local Department of Social Protection office. Details of documents needed to complete the PSC registration process and of an online appointment booking service are available via the websitewww.MyWelfare.ie.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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164. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to amend the current passport card system to ensure that a passport card will be valid for a full five years from the date of issue for all dates on which a valid corresponding passport book exists (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22498/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The passport card, which I launched in October 2015, can be used by Irish citizens for travel within the EU/EEA and Switzerland. The card is available to all Irish citizens who are over 18 years and hold a valid Irish passport book.

The passport card is a supplement to the passport book, as such, identity and entitlement requirements are assessed on the basis of the passport book application rather than on the card application itself. For this reason, the validity of a card cannot exceed that of the passport book on which verification of entitlement and identity was last established.

All passport cards are issued with a validity of five years or until their passport book expires, whichever comes sooner. In order to alert applicants to these parameters, when a passport card is due to expire in fewer than five years, the applicant is advised of the expiry date of the new passport card by way of information notice, generated on-screen by the application system. In this way, the Passport Service ensures that all applicants are fully aware of the expiry date of their new passport card in advance of finalising their application and can choose not to proceed with the application at that stage, if they so wish.