Written answers
Thursday, 25 March 2021
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Passport Controls
Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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84. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some international business transactions require a passport as the only acceptable Irish identity document; and if steps will be taken to arrange renewals during Covid-19 for such essential businesses. [16061/21]
Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In line with Government guidance that, at Level 5 of the National Framework on Living with COVID-19 only essential work should take place, the Passport Service continues to provide a high quality essential service in line with Government measures to reduce social contact and combat the spread of COVID-19.
This essential service is available for those who are required to travel due to the death or serious illness of a family member or meet the criteria for a reasonable excuse for non-essential travel as defined in the recent amendment to the Health Act 1947, which came into effect on 1 February 2021. Supporting documentation will be required in such cases. In order to facilitate the return of travel documents which may have been submitted in support of a passport application, against the advice of the Passport Service, all documents will be registered so that they can be returned for emergency travel or for non-essential travel with a reasonable excuse.
Applicants who require a passport for emergency purposes, or for non-essential travel with a reasonable excuse, should contact the Passport Service via our Customer Service Hub Webchat function on our website.
Irish citizens who are resident overseas should make contact through the local Irish Embassy or Consulate General.
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