Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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159. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when applications for passports on behalf of siblings (details supplied) will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30315/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued passports to the applicants.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is aware of third party websites who, in return for a fee, are purporting to assist passport applicants with their online application. Such websites advertising their services for a premium are not authorised to do so by the Department of Foreign Affairs or the Passport Service.

The Passport Service is not responsible for the content of, or fees charged, by these sites. The Passport Service strongly recommends that online passport applications should only be made at www.dfa.ie/passports. Members of the public should, of course, at all times exercise extreme caution when conducting any financial transactions online.

This type of third party purported service is not, of course, unique to passport applications. Any suspicions or concerns about any third party website should be reported to any Garda Station or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.

There are no current plans to run a public awareness campaign about this issue, but the Passport Service is currently working on an update to its website to make citizens aware of such sites and to strongly advise citizens that online applications for a passport should only be made at www.dfa.ie/passports.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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161. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a response to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30489/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued a passport to the applicant.