Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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378. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons waiting for an appointment for a public services card, in tabular form; and the expected waiting time before they will receive an appointment. [55576/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The SAFE registration process, which involves the authentication of a person's identity in a face-to-face interview, results in the issuing of a Public Services Card (PSC), which can be used as proof of identity when accessing public services.

At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department temporarily suspended the SAFE registration process and the centralised online appointment system used to manage those interviews. This decision was taken in order to comply with HSE and World Health Organisation guidelines in respect of social distancing thus ensuring a reduced footfall in our offices, to protect the health and wellbeing of our customers and staff.

SAFE registrations resumed in May this year and my Department carries out an average of 1,000 PSC appointments each day, across its nationwide office network.

My Department's capacity to accommodate these interviews is lower than was the case pre-pandemic, due to the social distancing measures that are applied to protect customers and staff.

For that reason, the centralised online appointments system has not yet been resumed and requests for appointments are dealt with at a local level across the Department's network of offices. As a result, it is not currently possible to provide the data requested by the Deputy.

Urgent requests for a PSC appointment are dealt with on a local basis, however, and any person who requires a PSC should contact their local DSP office, where an appointment will be made for them at the earliest opportunity.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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379. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if flexibility can be shown over the requirement to have a public services card to renew driver licences given the lengthy waiting times for a public services card appointment; and if not, the alternative avenues available for those who are currently unable to renew their driver licence without their public services card. [55577/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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A Public Services Card (PSC) is only one of the forms of identification that are accepted by the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) when a person attends an NDLS office to renew their driver's licence.

The NDLS also accept a driver's licence (Irish or UK), a Passport, a national identity card (for EU/EAA/Swiss citizens), an Irish Certificate of Naturalisation or an Irish Travel Document as proof of identity.

Alternatively, once a person has verified their identity through the in-person SAFE registration process carried out by my Department and they have been issued with a PSC, they can use their PSC to set up a verified MyGovID account.

MyGovID is a secure online identity authentication service provided by my Department , which can be used for accessing online services provided by various public bodies, including online renewal of a driver's licence. A person cannot set up a verified MyGovID account if they have not first verified their identity.

I understand online driver's licence renewal is only available to those who have a verified MyGovID account, but that is a matter for the NDLS. Any person who cannot, or does not wish to, set up a verified MyGovID account should contact the NDLS and arrange an appointment at an NDLS office to renew their licence.

Any person who requires a PSC should contact their local INTREO Centre where an appointment will be arranged for them.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.