Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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224. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding the increase in new applications for public services cards since 28 March 2020. [30488/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The SAFE registration process, which my Department uses to authenticate a person's identity, is a face to face process which results in the issuing of a Public Services Card (PSC).

At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department temporarily postponed the SAFE registration process. This decision was taken to comply with HSE and WHO guidelines in respect of social distancing.

My Department has now resumed the SAFE registration service in the majority of Intreo Centres and Branch Offices and this is being done in accordance with all relevant guidelines to ensure the health and safety of the Department's customers and staff.

In addition, my Department is contacting people who are entitled to Free Travel and who have not yet received their Free Travel PSC, inviting them to contact their local Intreo Centre or Branch Office, to arrange their SAFE registration

To help manage social distancing in our offices, the Department has suspended the online appointments system for SAFE registration appointments. Any person wishing to book an appointment should contact their local Intreo Centre and they will be assigned one.

Since SAFE registration resumed in July, some 25,000 customers have been SAFE registered. The number of PSCs, including renewals, replacements and new PSCs, issued since April 2020 is in excess of 130,000.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.