asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will state the purpose of requiring that passport application forms should be verified and witnessed by persons from specific occupational and professional groups.

Verification of applications is required with a view to preventing the issue of passports based on fraudulent information.

The requirement whereby the certificate of the guarantor may be completed by persons from specific occupational and professional groups applies only in the Dublin Garda metropolitan area. In the rest of the country, passport applications are, for reasons of administrative convenience, at present made through local Garda stations.

I am having the present system of application examined to see whether any amendments could be introduced without impairing the present efficiency of Passport Office procedures.

Does the Minister not consider this 18th century practice undesirable? Why should he presume that an ordinary Irish citizen, who presumably can only get an Irish passport, is, in every case, acting in a dishonest or shady manner and, therefore, must get everything witnessed by a member of the Garda Síochána? I am assured this does not operate in some of the Eastern European countries. Since when did certain professional groups such as doctors or Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas become more honest in signing such forms on behalf of the people?

Speak for yourself.

Auctioneers are not yet listed as those who can sign the form. Surely the thing is wrong and ridiculous?

Question No. 5.

The fact remains that we do get fraudulent passports issued even with these precautions, but it is being examined. There was no offence meant to people who are not members of the professions listed.

Could the Minister even extend the list? This does mean inconvenience to people and even if the list could be extended——

We will do that.

People in the ESB can ask other people to witness it.

A husband cannot even witness it for his wife.

Question No. 5.