Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 May 2013
37. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will intervene to establish the reason the Road Safety Authority will not accept hard copy photographs for the issuing of new driver licences. [22674/13]
View answer89. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is satisfied with the reasons put forward by the Road Safety Authority not to accept hardcopy Garda certified photographs for the issuing of new driving licences. [22675/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 89 together.
The new national driver licensing system under the Road Safety Authority (RSA) involves three outsourced elements, overseen by a 'specialist unit' based in the RSA headquarters in Ballina. The three outsourced elements are: a card production facility, a front office for engaging with the customer, and a back office to process applications. This system will not be fully up and running until September of this year. In the meantime, the Motor Tax Offices continue to perform front office functions on behalf of the RSA. During this transition period, applicants can still provide their photos as heretofore.
Once the new system is fully operational, there will be a different system for providing photo ID. The capture of the photograph is included in the fee for the licence, and the SAFE2 ID will be implemented, at which point the only option will be the digital photo taken at the front office network.
I understand from the RSA that when it published the Request for Tenders for the front office contract they asked tenderers to put forward a preference for scanning or digital capture of photographs. All three tenderers opted for digital capture, as it is the most effective, secure and efficient process.
The operation of the tender processes was a matter for the RSA, and I had no involvement in it. The contractors for the front office, and the back office and card producer, have already been procured.
