25. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her views on the requirement for widowed parents to submit death certificates and sworn affidavits each time their child’s passport is to be renewed; if there are plans to amend this requirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38392/26]

77. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if her Department is aware of difficulties encountered by widowed and single parents in renewing their child’s passport; and if her Department is preparing to take action to ensure these parents are supported. [38319/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 77 together.

I fully recognise the difficulties the current process may present for bereaved families and the Passport Service seeks to be as sympathetic and supportive as possible in assisting bereaved parents throughout the application process. To this end, the Passport Service has scheduled a meeting with Widows and Bereaved Parents Ireland to discuss their concerns.

In terms of the process in place, where a child's guardian is deceased, the Passport Service requests the original death certificate of the deceased guardian and a Sole Guardian Affidavit from the surviving guardian confirming that they are the only guardian of the child.

When one guardian is deceased, it may not always be the case that the surviving parent is the only guardian of the child. For example, a guardian can, in a will or deed, appoint someone else to be a testamentary guardian after he or she dies. In addition, step-parents or other family members may have acquired guardianship of a child following the death of a parent. In order to protect the rights of children and their guardians, the Passport Service needs to confirm each time that it has the consent of all relevant guardians before it can issue a passport.