Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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94. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the services for which a public services card is required; the categories and details of data contained on the card; the Departments and or agencies with which such information may be shared; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38867/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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SAFE Level 2 registration is carried out by my Department and allows a person to verify their identity once, not just for access to services provided by this Department but also for a number of public services. Once a person completes a SAFE 2 registration, they may be issued with a Public Services Card (PSC) as a physical token that proves they have had their identity verified to the SAFE 2 standard.

It is designed to replace other cards within the public sector such as the free travel pass and the social services card of this Department and to make it easy for providers of public services to verify the identity of customers.

While it is a matter for each public service provider to determine the appropriate level of identity verification required for each of its services, it is Government policy that SAFE 2 registration is required for access to services that need substantial proof of a person’s identity. SAFE 2 identity verification is currently required for the following services:

- Access to Social Welfare Services and for the purpose of PPSN allocation;

- First time adult passport applicants in the State;

- Replacement of lost, stolen or damaged passports issued prior to January 2005, where the person is resident in the State;

- Citizenship applications;

- Online renewal of Driving Licences; and

- Access to high value or personal online public services through MyGovID, which is the identity authentication mechanism for accessing public services online.

The primary legislative provisions for SAFE registration and identity verification are set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 (as amended). Sections 262 and 263B provide for the verification of identity for issuance and use of a PPS Number and Sections 263, 263A and 263B provide for the verification of identity for issuance, use and cancellation of a PSC.

The following data items appear on the card and are stored on the chip:

- the name of the person:

- the person's personal public service number (PPSN);

- the person's photograph;

- the signature of the person;

- the issue number of the PSC; and

- the expiry date of the PSC.

Additional items stored on the chip are:

- the date of birth of the person;

- the place of birth of the person;

- the sex of the person;

- the person's nationality;

- all former surnames (if any) of the person; and

- all former surnames (if any) of the mother of the person.

The Public Services Identity (PSI) dataset is defined in Section 262 (1) of the 2005 Act (as amended). The legislative basis which allows for data sharing of the PSI data between specified public bodies, is provided for under section 262 (1). The specified public bodies that may use PSI data under Sections 260-265 of the 2005 Act (as amended) is contained in Schedule 5 of the said Act.

At present, a PSC cannot be requested by any public or private body or person not included as a specified body in Schedule 5 of the 2005 Act (as amended). The PSC can only be used by public bodies specified in the legislation in the context of conducting a public transaction with the person concerned.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.