Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is satisfied with the proposed process of obtaining photographic ID for the new credit card sized driving licences; the reason a paper photograph is sufficient for a renewal but not for an original; the reason Garda approved and certified photographs are not sufficient proof of ID; the reason professional photographers have not been afforded an opportunity to provide the photographs to a specified criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15237/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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EU Directive 2006/126EC requires the introduction by Member States of a plastic card driver licence with effect from 19th January 2013. For this country, this involved a change of the procedures and practices associated with the old paper style licences. With the introduction of the new style licence, the Government decided to centralise the driver licence service under the Road Safety Authority (RSA). On 12th January this year, the RSA became the driver licensing authority for the country and decided to operate the service mainly through three outsourced contracts related to licence production, back-office processing and front-office customer interface.

The RSA had full responsibility for all aspects of the conditions of these contracts and for the tendering and procurement processes leading to their award.

The card licence is standardised across the European Union and therefore there must be consistency in the quality and standard of information used.  The photograph is digital and is not stuck on to the card in the way it was on the old paper licence.  The capture of the photograph is included in the fee for the licence.  As the system develops, the SAFE2 ID standard will be implemented, at which point the only option will be the digital photo taken at the front office network.

I understand that the procurement process for each of the contracts has now been completed. The issue of photo ID associated with driver licence applications is included in the front-office customer interface contract that, I understand, has been awarded to SGS. Specific queries related to the operation of this contract should be directed to the RSA.