Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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199. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a passport application for a child (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25377/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am happy to inform the Deputy that this passport has been approved and dispatched to the applicant in question.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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202. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will instruct the Passport Service to issue clear guidelines to staff on application requirements where a child's passport application is submitted, where parents on birth certificate are not involved, and a guardian is in their place, to make clear what documentation/court ordered documentation is required to make it clear for guardians, to avoid delays and to avoid misinformation; if said guidelines could be published on the Passport Service website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25516/25]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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204. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade what is required by the Passport Office in the case of a child renewal application where a person, other than their parents, has court ordered custody; if this is sufficient to receive a passport renewal, and accepted by the Passport Office. [25628/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 202 and 204 together.

All passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008 (“the Act”), which provides a legal basis for the various policies and practices that are applied by the Passport Service in the issuing of passports.

Under Section 14 of the Act, the Passport Service requires the consent of guardians before issuing a passport for a child under 18 years of age.

Section 14 provides that a passport may be issued to a child without the consent of a guardian of the child if a court in the State makes an order directing that a passport may be issued to the child without the consent of that guardian.

Section 14 also provides that if a court in the State makes an order under any enactment which authorises a person other than a guardian of the child (including the Health Service Executive) to give consent to the issue of a passport to the child, the Minister may, subject to the Act and for so long as the order is in force, issue a passport to the child in accordance with the order.

Where an application is made for a passport for a child in the care of the HSE, the application usually comes with a direction from the Court with regard to guardianship in the form of a Court Order. It is imperative that the Passport Service strictly adheres to the direction of the Court by ensuring the consent of guardians, as appointed by the Court, is obtained before a passport can issue.

It is important to reiterate that each application involving complex matters relating to guardianship and dispensing with the consent of a child's guardians, is dealt with on a case-by-case basis and considerable engagement is necessary between the applicant and the Passport Service to ensure all necessary requirements are met. Such applications are dealt with by experienced staff trained in this area to ensure that they are processed correctly.

Further guidance in relation to guardian consent can be found on my Department's website here - www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/passports/how-to-apply-for-a-passport/first-child-passport/#Guardian%20consent%20for%20children's%20passport%20applications