Vol. 572 No. 2
190 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has satisfied himself with the security provisions of the Garda ID card in view of the widespread reluctance of commercial bodies including airlines, licensed premises and others to accept this as a official form of identification or proof of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22775/03]
The national age card was introduced in April 1999 for the specific purpose of providing proof of the holder's age as prescribed under the Liquor Licensing Act 1988.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the card has a number of security measures designed to ensure against forgery. The card's design is intricate, with a four colour tone design. It contains a two dimensional hologram in the form of a harp and the photograph is laser printed. At the end of the production process the card is completely laminated. I am assured by the Garda authorities that these security provisions are adequate for the specific purpose of the card.
The identity requirements of commercial bodies, such as airlines, are contractual issues between these bodies and their customers. If in doubt, airline customers should consult the terms and conditions provided to passengers when booking tickets. I understand that the security measures in force at boarding gates for the purposes of reconciliation with boarding cards are currently under consideration by the National Civil Aviation Security Committee.
