Mr. Tim Duggan:

I am not a lawyer or a judge. However, I am fairly clear that the intention of the legislation is that if somebody requests the card on behalf of a non-specified body, regardless of how that request is carried out, it is illegal and is an offence under the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act. Any body refusing to provide a service when a card is not produced would be acting illegally. That is the same thing as demanding the card.