Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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535. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if an electoral identity card, issued by the Electoral Office of Northern Ireland, will be accepted as photographic proof of identity for Irish citizens residing in the six counties, who do not have a driving licence or passport from another country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13179/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Passport Service takes its responsibility to protect the integrity of the Irish passport very seriously. The Irish passport has a strong international reputation due to the strength of the security features within the passport book and the robust processes involved in its issuance. The Irish passport was recently ranked 6th in the Henley Global Passport Index as it provides our citizens with visa-free access to 188 countries. Accordingly, a rigorous analysis process is in place to verify the identity and citizenship status of first time applicants.

All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act 2008, as amended. Under Section 7 of the Act, the Passport Service may require the applicant to produce such documents as are considered necessary for the purposes of issuing a passport.

Government issued photographic identification is required for all first time adult passport applications, in order for the Passport Service to establish the identity of the applicant. This can be a Public Services Card, an original passport from another country or a certified copy of a driver’s licence (certified by a solicitor or notary public). The Passport Service does not accept Electoral Identity Cards issued by the Electoral Office of Northern Ireland as these are not government issued photographic identification.

The Passport Service understands that a very small number of applicants will not hold any of the specified types of government issued photographic identification. These applicants may contact the Passport Service for further information on how their identity may be verified.