As the Deputy is aware the Public Services Card and MyGovID are a means of assisting the delivery of public services to the people who need them. They were brought about to ensure personal data is protected, and to ensure people get access to public services safely, securely and efficiently.
As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I am responsible for ensuring the proper use of resources and the provision of cost-effective public services.
The National Childcare Scheme is a landmark new scheme which will provide financial supports to families for childcare. It establishes an equitable and progressive system of universal and income-related subsidies for children up to the age of 15, and provides an innovative and user-friendly online application process to access those subsidies.
As part of the online application, there is a requirement to identify individuals in order for them to apply for these childcare subsidies. Government has already invested in MyGovID - a safe, secure and reusable system for online verification of individuals, and it is appropriate that MyGovID be utilised for the delivery of the scheme.
It does not make sense for the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to develop its own electronic identity system to support its digital services. Building an alternative online identification system for the National Childcare Scheme would mean that Government is spending taxpayers money on two different systems to do the exact same thing, where one reusable, legal and secure alternative exists. The scheme's use of MyGovID is Government acting in a joined up manner.
I will continue to insist on and drive value for money through the modernisation of how we deliver our public services. Where we already have a suitable, reusable identification system in place for the Public Service, I will not allow taxpayers' money to be directed into the building of redundant infrastructure in this area. Importantly, the money spent on building redundant identity infrastructures, or the money spent on inefficient methods of identification for every public service transaction, is money not spent on the actual end product of the services, which, as I am sure the Deputy will agree, is what people are actually interested in and need.
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs will use MyGovID to deliver the National Childcare Scheme quicker and cheaper than it would otherwise be in a position to do so if MyGovID were not in existence. A paper based channel, which is more resource intensive and slower to set up, will open shortly afterwards as an alternative route.This is Government striving to deliver the benefits of the scheme to people as quickly and as efficiently as possible. It will assist the delivery of quality, accessible and affordable childcare that families in Ireland need.
