Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide information on the new public service identity card including a complete list of the personal data that will be contained on this card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29029/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department has developed, in conjunction with a number of other Government Departments, the specifications for a Public Services Card (PSC) under the Standard Authentication Framework Environment (SAFE) programme. The aim is to develop a card that acts as a key for access to public services in general.

Significant achievements over the last couple of years include:

- procurement of a complete managed service for the production,

maintenance and distribution of the card,

- construction of a secure card personalisation and distribution centre in Bray Co. Wicklow. A specimen card was personalised on this site on 8th December, 2010,

- finalisation of card design and technical specifications and

- development of structures and processes and a technical infrastructure within the Department to support client registration as well as the management and administration of the cards.

The phased introduction of the Public Services Card started this month. The registration process is currently being piloted in a number of local offices in the Department, including Tullamore, Sligo and King's Inn in Dublin. It is anticipated that up to 4,000 people will be issued with cards by end of year. Roll out of the card will be done as securely and speedily as possible but it will take a number of years to complete. The initial focus will be on roll out to Department clients of working age.

The front of the card shows a person's name, photograph and signature, along with the card expiry date. The back of the card shows the person's PPS Number and a card number. It also has a magnetic stripe for compatibility with existing Social Services Cards. The card will electronically hold a person's name, PPS Number, date of birth, place of birth, sex, nationality, all former surnames, all former surnames of their mother, a photograph and a signature. The principle is that the card only holds identifying data and that any other sensitive data relating to a particular use would be held on a secure server in the relevant agency. Each card will also hold data relating to its own issue (e.g. card number) and security (e.g. to check it is being read by an authorised device).