As the Deputy will be aware, provision for the introduction of a public service card was made in the Social Welfare Act, 1998. The primary purpose of this card is to act as a permanent record of the cardholder's personal public service number (PPSN), facilitating rapid access to a wide range of public services and capable of being used in the future to support the delivery of payments.
My Department is now undertaking a process of consultation with the other public service bodies specified in the Act to see how best the card might be used to improve the quality of service offered by the State to its citizens. It will be some time, however, before the card actually comes into operation.