Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 34: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will report on progress being made in his Department on the introduction of new travel pass cards that will facilitate the detection of fraudulent activity; and when such cards will be introduced. [4682/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Department is co-ordinating an interdepartmental initiative to develop a public service card. This programme of work is known as the SAFE, standard authentication framework environment, initiative. The process is intended to produce a framework for public cards which will provide a branded standard for cards within which individual public service cards can converge. Over time it is anticipated that this convergence will reduce the need for customers to carry multiple cards.

A progress report on deliberations by the interdepartmental SAFE steering group was presented to Government in 2005. Subsequent to this, the Government approved plans for the development by my Department of a public service card, to be introduced in 2007. The public service card will introduce a number of improvements, including an improved registration process and new card technology which will support much improved security features and considerably reduce the potential for forging cards and fraudulent use. My Department is looking at the potential for ultimately using this public service card in conjunction with the free travel scheme.

My Department is committed to the continued co-operation with the Garda and the various transport operators in combating fraudulent activity on the free travel pass scheme. My Department has a very good working relationship with the transport operators and the Garda in relation to combating fraud related to the free travel scheme. Regular liaison occurs and passes are seized where fraud is suspected. The Garda National Bureau for Fraud Investigation recently announced the successful break up of a group producing forged free travel passes. It credited its success to the co-operation between my Department, CIE and the bureau.