16.— (1) The Minister may, on application in that behalf to him or her in accordance with section 6 by a person who is entitled in accordance with this Act to be issued with a passport, issue a diplomatic passport to the person if he or she is—

(a) an officer of the Minister of diplomatic rank, or

(b) a person, or one of a class of persons, to whom the Minister considers it appropriate to issue such a passport,

for the purpose of facilitating him or her to travel abroad in connection with the performance of official duties.

(2) The Minister may, on application in that behalf in accordance with section 6 by a person who is entitled in accordance with this Act to be issued with a passport, issue an official passport to the person for the purpose of facilitating him or her to travel abroad in connection with the performance by him or her of official duties on behalf of the State.

(3) An application for an official passport under subsection (2) shall not be granted unless it is approved, and submitted to the Minister on behalf of the applicant, by a Department of State.

(4) In this section—

“diplomatic passport” means a passport that is so described on its face thereby indicating that the person to whom it is issued is an officer of the Minister of diplomatic rank or a person falling under subsection (1)(b) and which records the office held or the position occupied by that person;

“official passport” means a passport that is so described on its face thereby indicating that the person to whom it is issued is a person who is performing official duties on behalf of the State and which records the office held or the position occupied by that person.