Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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373. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will report on the recent announcement that a public services card will be required by persons applying for passports and driver's licences; the reasons for these proposals; if they will apply to renewals or just new applications; when he expects the measures to be introduced; if the Data Protection Commissioner has been consulted; if so, the advice given; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25923/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Public Services Card and MyGovID, its online counterpart, are underpinned by the SAFE II registration process.  This registration process provides for the best physical and online identity verification methods available to the State where these are required for the delivery of Public Services.  Not only does it provide increased protection against fraud and impersonation, but it will also offer improvements in convenience and efficiency, and alignment with EU regulations; i.e. Regulation (EU) N°910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market (eIDAS Regulation).

SAFE II is already in place for new adult passport applications and will be introduced for adult renewals where the applicant resides in Ireland later in the year. We are working through options for applicants who reside outside the country and will introduce new procedures once these are ready.

SAFE II will be introduced for Drivers Theory Test applications in June of this year and the actual test in 2018. Again, we are looking into options for handling non-Ireland residents.

The use of the Public Services Card to underpin Public Service delivery is legislated for through the Social Welfare and Pensions Acts and my colleagues in DSP have consulted the Data Protection Commissioner's Office on this.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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374. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the consideration given to persons living abroad in the recently announced proposals that a public services card will be required by persons applying for passports and drivers licences; the allowances that will be made for such circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25924/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Public Services Card and MyGovID, its online counterpart, are underpinned by the SAFE II registration process. This registration process provides for the best physical and online identity verification methods available to the State where these are required for the delivery of Public Services. Not only does it provide increased protection against fraud and impersonation, but it will also offer improvements in convenience and efficiency, and alignment with EU regulations; i.e. Regulation (EU) N°910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market (eIDAS Regulation).

SAFE II is already in place for new adult passport applications and will be introduced for adult renewals where the applicant resides in Ireland later in the year. We are working through options for applicants who reside outside the country and will introduce new procedures once these are ready.

SAFE II will be introduced for Drivers Theory Test applications in June of this year and the actual test in 2018. Again, we are looking into options for handling non-Ireland residents.