Mr. Joseph Nugent:

In the context of identity, prior to taking up my current role I served for five years as head of the Passport Service. It is interesting that many of the issues associated with public identity are also emerging here. I concur with Deputy Catherine Murphy in respect of the need to associate some of those other initiatives that are under way - whether it is the public services card or whatever - with what is being done. At this point, none of the initiatives in question tackles all the issues at hand. I have a public services card but, for example, it does not indicate one's citizenship. This is relevant in the context that one's entitlement to vote in different types of elections is very different. Notwithstanding that, there are sensitivities involved in using people's PPS numbers. We all accept this to be the case. If it is decided to use those numbers, we must ensure they will only be used within the confines of the trust the electorate bestows upon us. PPS numbers are invaluable not just for the purpose of mitigating against people appearing on more than one register but also because they allow for that linkage to death events that would be recorded by the General Register Office and the automatic processing of related materials.

Issues of timing must be given careful consideration. Clearly, the Electoral Acts, as amended, provide timelines for certain existing parameters and infrastructures. For example, registration authorities and the timelines relating to the register are defined. When drafting legislation, therefore, one would need to be very careful to ensure it does not fall foul of the problems associated with commencement of new provisions and that all the necessary infrastructure to facilitate a new regime, whatever that might be, would be put in place. I return to the point I made in my opening contribution in respect of people referring to "the register". There are 31 unconnected registers as matters stand. This would seem to be an appropriate place to start in the context of examining the relevant issues to discover how one might provide the legislative authority to bring all those registers together into something that is more coherent and also, through the introduction of a unique identifier, how one might assist in that process.

With the pressures associated with deadlines, a rolling register is a key element associated with removing the impediments to the current process.