Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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257. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will examine the two-year wait before applying for a passport with a new name; if it is possible to change the name on a passport ahead of this time by using a ministerial observation on the passport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39385/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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All passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008, as amended (“the Act“). The Act provides a legal basis for the various policies and procedures that are applied by the Passport Service in the issue of passports.

Section 10 of the Act provides that a passport will issue in the name of a citizen as it appears on his/her birth certificate or naturalisation certificate. However, a name change for a passport from that which appears on a person’s birth certificate is permitted under the Act in situations such as marriage, civil partnership etc. where civil, or legal documents are available to verify this change

In cases where name change arises, other than by marriage or civil partnership etc, the Act requires evidence of the use of this new name over a two year period. In very sensitive cases there is discretion under the Act for accepting evidence of usage for less than two years.

Furthermore, if a person requests issuance of a passport with a name change consisting of the use of the Irish version of his/her name, the Passport Service may adopt some flexibility in this policy and may facilitate the request if the applicant provides proof of a minimum period of six months usage of the Irish version of their name. In such cases, the Passport Service will include an observation on the passport recording the person’s birth certificate or previous name. This observation must remain on the passport until the condition of two years proof of usage can be satisfied. After the required two years and if the person wishes to do so, he/she may reapply (full fee will be required), submitting the required two years proof, and a new passport may issue without the observation.

These rules seek to protect the integrity and security of the Irish passports against passport and identity fraud while allowing for genuine cases where name changes have occurred. The Irish passport has a strong international reputation due to the strength of security features within the book and the robust processes involved in its issuance.