Written answers

Tuesday, 2 October 2012

Department of Social Protection

Free Travel Scheme Administration

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if it is anticipated that all free travel passes will contain photo ID in view of the security concerns raised by some senior citizens; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41377/12]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The estimated cost of the Free Travel Scheme in 2012 is €77 million for 745,466 registered customers. In addition when companion passes are taken into account there are an estimated €1.2 million people with an entitlement to free travel.

A new public services card (PSC) has been designed to replace other cards within the public sector such as the free travel pass and the social services card of my Department and to make it easy for providers of public services to verify the identity of customers. The PSC will be used by Government departments and agencies to meet their own business needs for identity authentication. It is intended that this will include transport operators supporting the free travel scheme. The PSC will include photo identification and signature and will encompass other security features which will considerably reduce the potential for forging cards and fraudulent use.

The roll out of the card has commenced and the Department is currently running a pilot registration process involving a cohort of pensioners who already have given data to the Department in connection with their application for an All-Ireland Free Travel Pass, including their photograph. The Department has written to this group requesting their permission to use this data to register them for the free travel variant of the public services card and asking them for their answers to a number of security questions. These questions will allow their identity to be verified in the event that they have to contact a helpdesk for assistance. This is in line with industry best practice and serves as reassurance to customers against identity theft.

You will appreciate that this is a significant project to implement, however, and will have to be carried out in phases over the next few years having regard to the resources available. It is hoped to be in a position to commence the issue of the free travel variant of the PSC, specifically designed for our customers who have entitlement to free travel, during 2013.

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