Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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287. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if private companies and-or bodies are permitted to accept the public services card as a form of identification in the context of section 5 of the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6153/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Only bodies specified in legislation and currently included in Schedule 5 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) or their agents can ask for and use the Public Services Card (PSC). The current proposal in Section 5 of the Social Welfare Bill does notchange this. That protection will remain if the legislative proposal is adopted.

As the law currently stands, even if a card holder volunteers their PSC, a private sector organisation would be committing an offence by accepting it as they are not a “specified body”. Customer feedback is that they should be allowed to volunteer the card to non-Specified Bodies if it suits them to do so, for the purposes of ID verification such as when signing up to a utility company contract or opening an account with a financial institution. Customers often report that private companies insist on a State-issued photographic ID such as a Passport or Driver’s License which they might not have and which are costly. In contrast, the PSC is free of charge.

Therefore the legislative proposal is that non-specified bodies that accept a PSC that is offered to them voluntarily by the holder should not be prosecuted or at risk of prosecution. At the same time, such non-specified organisations should not be able to request or force a person to use their PSC – that would remain an offence. In other words, the volunteering of the card is the critical issue.

Furthermore, and for the sake of absolute clarity - this proposal in no way allows a private sector body to access the customer data on the card chip or on any government database - simply to view/accept the card as a form of identity and to stop it being an offence for them to accept it.

This measure will be beneficial to holders of the PSC, most especially those who do not hold a driving licence or a passport. It is their identity and as such the holder should be allowed to volunteer it if they so choose, even in a commercial situation.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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288. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the public services card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6158/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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A Public Services Card (PSC) may be issued to a person who has successfully completed a SAFE 2 identity registration. The person’s Public Service Identity Dataset is verified as part of this process. Adopted people are treated in the same way as other individuals in terms of verification of identity. Name, date of birth, place of birth and mother’s birth surname are generally verified from the birth certificate or, in the case of an adopted person, from an adoption certificate.

Generally, in the case of an adopted person, the details on the birth register will be different to those on the adoption register and not consistent with their current identity.

As my Department has access to the Irish Birth Register the above details can be verified without the need for the individual to physically present a birth certificate, providing that the record can be located on the Register.

However, in contrast, my Department does not have access to the Irish Adoption Register. Accordingly, staff would not be aware of a customer’s adoption status. In such circumstances the individual is asked to bring a copy of their adoption certificate. This requirement is stated clearly in SAFE 2 registration invitation letters and on my Department’s website.

When a person presents for a SAFE 2 appointment without a birth certificate, and their birth registration details cannot be located on the Register, they are asked to contact the General Register Office to obtain same. This could be a birth certificate or an adoption certificate.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.