Do Child Benefit Officers have right to ask to send foreign passport?

[dubdubnov10]

I was asked to send all(including Irish, foreign,current and expired) passports to the child benefit office to check if I was entitled to get the benefit for previous payments. They want to find out exactly when I was here, when I left here etc.

Are they allowed to ask such a thing, i.e., send all foreign passports, which may be the matter outside of current Irish immigration law etc.?

Any idea would be appreciated.

 

[Papercut]

''The Child Benefit claimant is responsible for the production of certificates, documents, information and evidence required, including Birth Certificates, Green Cards, passports etc..''

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/childben.aspx