Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With respect, the point has been missed. I am not trying to halt the modernisation or centralisation of the service. That process and the new plastic card are very welcome. What is at issue is that people will have to go to a centralised office to have their photograph taken. That requirement immediately eliminates all local photographers who have provided this service for many years. The argument has been made that the process is required for digital security, efficiency and cost saving purposes, but when renewing the plastic card, there will be no problem in going to a local photographer to have one's photograph taken, as one would do for other purposes, and submit it. That illustrates there is a breakdown in the logic underpinning the argument made. The RSA should clarify this point.

I respect the fact that the Minister had no involvement in the tendering process and do not expect him to micromanage the process. However, I respectfully ask him to go back to the RSA to ask it to outline the reason local photographers cannot continue to be involved in the process. I accept the move to modernise and centralise the service and the introduction of the plastic card, but in terms of insisting on people going to a centralised office to have their photograph taken, for people living in west Cork, from where I come, it may involve taking a day off work and travelling 50 km to have their photograph taken. Traditionally, people were able to have their photograph taken by a photographer in their nearest town. These photographs are good enough for passports, for which there is a higher level of security than a driving licence. I do not accept the explanation the RSA is giving for this change and refusing the input of the local photographer.

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