Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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442. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the total number of persons currently claiming the State pension (contributory) and (non-contributory), respectively; the total estimated number of these people who have been issued with a public services card at any time since the introduction of the card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22451/23]

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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443. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the total number of persons currently in receipt of any disability payment at present; the estimated number of them who have been issued with a public services card at any time since the introduction of the card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22452/23]

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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444. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the total number of persons currently in receipt of jobseeker’s benefit or jobseeker’s allowance; the number of these recipients who have been issued with a public services card at any time since the introduction of the card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22453/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 442, 443 and 444 together.

One of my statutory functions as Minister for Social Protection is the authentication of a person's identity in the manner described, and for the purposes set out, in primary legislation. Under that legislation, a person must authenticate their identity as one of the conditions of their right to any social welfare payment. Once a person has authenticated their identity and been issued with a Public Services Card (PSC), they can, if they wish, use that PSC to collect their payment at a Post Office of their choice. In addition, a person who is entitled to Free Travel can use their PSC as a travel pass on public transport. If a person who has not already been SAFE registered qualifies for Free Travel, they are invited by the Department to attend for SAFE registration at an office of the Department. If a person who already has been SAFE registered qualifies for Free Travel, a new Free Travel PSC issues automatically to that person.

There are a number of reasons why a person may be receiving a payment but are not SAFE registered. Some recipients of contributory-based payments, such as State Pension (Contributory) and Invalidity Pension, live abroad. The closure of offices during the pandemic disrupted the SAFE registration service during that time.

The number of individuals receiving Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit, State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory) and Disability payments at the end of April 2023, and the estimated number with a Public Services Card, are shown in the table below. SAFE 2 registration status has been used to estimate the individuals with a Public Services Card.

Jobseeker's Benefit figures include Benefit Payment for 65 year olds, Short-Time Work Support and Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed.

Disability Payments consist of Blind Pension, Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Disablement Benefit and Domiciliary Care Allowance.

Table 1: Estimated number of recipients with a public services card, by scheme