Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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152. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a matter in relation to the driver licence of a person (details supplied) will be examined. [4238/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Due to the resurgence of Covid-19 in Europe as well as Ireland, the extension of driving licences is currently under consideration at EU level. A decision on this issue is expected by early February.

To renew your driving licence you are required to present photographic ID, evidence of PPSN, evidence of address and evidence of residency entitlement. An applicant must present in person at a National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) office where the required documentation can be examined and a face to face verification can be made.

When applying online, the same information is required and the challenge of verifying a person’s identity is more difficult than when someone presents in person at an NDLS office. A verified MyGovID account, which requires a Public Service Card (PSC), satisfies this requirement.

The PSC is a way to streamline the identification process across all public services, making application for all services easier for everyone, and taking away unnecessary burdens from the citizen and the State. The intention is that people will need to go through the cumbersome process of providing documents to prove their identity only once - for the PSC - and then be able to use that card as an ID for a wide range of public services. More particularly, if people are to have confidence in using public services online, they need to have an verified and authenticated online identity and MyGovID, building on the Public Services Card, gives people that confidence and the means to access services online.

When it is possible to lower restrictions and increase access to the NDLS centres, measures put in place to align with the Government's Return to Work Safely Protocols will be maintained. Each centre has been assessed and appropriate signage, sanitation and handwashing, and social distancing measures such as reduced seating in waiting areas and customer touchpoint cleansing have been introduced. Customers will be accompanied into and out of centres and required to adhere to necessary health and safety guidelines. The measures that have been put in place are for the health and safety of all of our customer and our staff.