Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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30. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if an urgent passport application for a child (details supplied) will be expedited. [46671/24]

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

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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29. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the details of the requirements for having a passport issued with the name in Irish when a person had previously used their English name; if these requirements are discordant with State efforts to facilitate increased use of the Irish language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46658/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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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 issuing of passports.

Section 10 of the Act provides that a passport will issue in the name of a citizen as it appears on a person's 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 a name change arises, other than by marriage or civil partnership etc., the Passport Service requires evidence in respect of the constant and sustained use of the new name and identity over a two year period. Evidence of this, for at least two years, through documentation such as photo ID, bills, bank statements, or official correspondence in the new name is required.

The Passport Service has put in place an option for those citizens who wish to use the Irish form of their names, but who lack the full two years proof of use. In these circumstances, the Irish form of the name will be personalised on the passport with the person's birth name added as an observation on the passport, once the person can provide evidence of six months proof of use. Once the two year proof of use of the Irish name has been obtained, the passport holder can re-apply for a new passport in their Irish name without any observation.

This policy seeks to protect the integrity and security of the Irish passport against identity fraud, while at the same time balancing the wishes of those citizens, who wish to use the Irish language more frequently in their daily lives. 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 currently ranks fourth in the Henley Global Passport Index as it provides our citizens with visa-free access to 191 countries.

Further information for citizens who wish to change their name from English to Irish on their passport is available at www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/passports/documentary-requirements/adult.