Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:375 Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection when will the new card for social welfare recipients be used, that is, the biometric card [21727/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 1 May 2012
Ceisteanna (309)
Freagraí scríofa
I presume the Deputy is referring to the Public Services Card (PSC) which is being introduced to act as a key for access to public services in general, identifying and authenticating individuals as appropriate and where required. The card will provide public service providers with verification of an individual's identity thus reducing the resources currently required to do so each time a member of the public tries to access a public service while at the same time making it harder for people to use false identities.
PSCs are issued following a robust registration process and incorporate identification features including a photograph and an electronic signature. The Department has been piloting the registration processes and ICT systems at three of its offices. This exercise started in July in Tullamore and was subsequently extended to Dublin (Kings Inn) and Sligo. The PSC issue facility was put into production at the beginning of October. Nearly 7,000 PSCs have been issued to date. These cards are available to be used by many public service bodies including the Department of Social Protection. For instance the cards issued can be used to collect social welfare payments at post offices.
In addition to establishing that the processes work in practice and that the supporting ICT systems work correctly, the pilot also aimed to establish the resources needed to deploy registration in Local Offices countrywide. Sanction for additional resources to support this has been received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and these are currently being sourced and deployed. The pilot has also indicated the need for legislative changes to support the new processes and these have been proposed in the current Social Welfare Bill. The Department is now finalising plans for a national roll-out of the new cards on a phased basis commencing in May of this year.