Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The passport was probably produced under SAFE 1, which was a different level of identity authentication. We have moved to SAFE 2 and a product given under SAFE 1 is not suitable for something that is required to produce an identity reassurance under SAFE 2. I did not make the law. It just is the law and it makes perfect sense given the number of people we have uncovered who are using numerous identities. We have found out since the introduction of this process that there are people claiming for things under different names.

The simple premise behind what we are trying to do is to ensure that taxpayers' money goes to the people entitled to receive it, that they are not getting more than one payment, and that they are getting only the payment to which they are entitled. Nobody has had a payment taken away because they did not have a PSC. People are invited to identify themselves under the SAFE 2 process and if they refuse for a prolonged period, we have to assume either they have left the country or have passed away. There can be a variety of reasons. There have not been very many cases. I do not have the data today. We do not keep it because it is fluid. Normally, as soon as the payment is stopped, the person rings to ask what has happened, is invited in and the payment is reinstated and backdated.

See this speech in context