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

-----when I tell him that the purpose of the SAFE 2 registration process is to verify someone's identity to a substantial level of assurance. This is a necessary step when we are responsibly providing access to the billions of euro, of which the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is in charge and which it is giving to people through all of its schemes. The public services card is only issued after someone goes through the SAFE 2 registration process. In addition to acting as a token that an individual's identity has been verified to SAFE 2 standard, possession of a public services card enables individuals to gain access to a great many other public services, for example, free travel, more efficiently and with a minimum of duplication of effort, while at the same time preserving their privacy to the maximum extend possible.

Preliminary results of a recent customer survey carried out on the public services card have been quite positive, with very high levels of satisfaction recorded in the process of applying, the resulting public services card, people's level of understanding of the purpose of the SAFE 2 and PSC process and the information provided for applicants. These are all being very well received. People also expressed strong support for the sharing of information between public bodies because it makes life easier, which is exactly what we were trying to achieve in the first instance. I hope to have the full results of the survey next week and that all Deputies will join me in welcoming these positive results.

To respond to the question the Deputy asked me, the Data Protection Commissioner initiated an investigation to assess the legal basis for the processing of data in connection with the public services card and other related matters in 2017. The Data Protection Commissioner provided a draft report on the public services card for my Department in late August 2018. The draft report requested further information and clarification from us in a broad range of areas, but - it is a big but - the commissioner specifically instructed us not to discuss or disclose the draft report to any other party. We will respect that request. Therefore, I cannot give the Deputy an indication that I will publish the report, but I genuinely have no doubt but that when the commissioner replies to us, they will publish the report. If they do not, the only thing I can suggest is I seek permission at that stage, if appropriate, to do so. However, I am not in a position to give the Deputy an assurance that the draft report will be issued because my Department has been instructed specifically that we are not to discuss or disclose it. I must do what I am told.

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