People will be able to use their Public Services Card (PSC) as a form of identification when engaging with financial institutions under proposals to be brought to Cabinet on Tuesday.
The new way the PSC can be used as identification will be at the cardholder’s discretion and is intended to be useful for people who do not have a driving licence or passport.
There will also be an option for cardholders to have their date of birth included on their card so it can be used as a means of age verification.
The plans are to be included in the general scheme – or outline – of the Social Welfare and Other Matters Bill, which Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary will seek Cabinet approval to publish on Tuesday.
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PSCs are used to prove a person’s identity to access public services, including social protection payments.
Calleary’s plans would allow cards to be used as a form of identity for credit unions, banks and utility providers. Moreover, a cardholder would be able to choose to put their date of birth on the card.
It is understood there was consultation with the Data Protection Commission in relation to the proposals.
Separate measures in the general scheme of the legislation are amendments to improve operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office and the Charity Appeals Tribunal.
There are also proposed amendments to the Civil Registration Act for people affected by incorrect or illegal birth registration.
Illegal birth registration is an instance where people named on a child’s birth certificate are the “adoptive parents” and not the birth parents.
In some cases, there may have been two birth certificates issued; in others, there may only be one, the incorrect registration.
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Legislation from 2022 introduced measures to address issues arising for people affected by illegal and incorrect birth registration.
However, people whose births were illegally registered requested further changes to widen access to their birth registration and to revise terminology used in the legislation.
A recent period of public consultation on proposed changes to illegal birth registration, announced last month by Minister for Children Norma Foley, closed last week.
Meanwhile, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll McNeill is expected to brief colleagues on emergency care in hospitals over the Easter bank holiday weekend as well as plans to expand bowel screening eligibility.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee is to update Ministers on relations between the Republic and Australia and the implementation of a new trade deal between the European Union and Australia.
