Question No: 1895 Ref No: 38549-17
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if social protection payments to persons that refused to take up or present a public services card are accruing; if their backdated payments will be paid to them; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Catherine Murphy.
* For WRITTEN answer on Monday, 11th September, 2017.
R E P L Y
Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Regina Doherty T.D):
In 2005, the Government approved a rules based standard for establishing and authenticating an individual’s identity for the purposes of access to public services. This standard is known as the Standard Authentication Framework environment – or SAFE. A person who successfully completes a SAFE 2 registration process (i.e., verifies their identity to a substantial level of assurance) is issued with a Public Services Card (PSC).
In the case of the Department of Social Protection’s own services, the legislation governing identity verification for existing claimantsis set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended, viz.
- Section 247C(1) of the Act provides that the Minister may require any person receiving a benefit to satisfy the Minister as to his or her identity;
- Section 247C(2) of the Act specifies the consequences of failure to satisfy the Minister in relation to identity as required, specifically that a person shall be disqualified from receiving a benefit;
- Section 247C(3) of the Act specifies the manner in which the Minister may be so satisfied; in effect, this Section describes the process for registering a person’s identity - this is the SAFE 2 Process.
In other words, this legislation requires a person to satisfy the Minister as to their identity and allows disqualification from receipt of a benefit in the event that it is not done. It is not possible for a person to satisfy the Minister as to his or her identity without being SAFE 2 registered.
The Department makes every effort to facilitate a person undertaking a SAFE 2 registration. Firstly, customers are invited to a scheduled registration appointment. The Department also issues reminder letters to customers, as required. Customers may book a different time/date to suit them, either online via www.mywelfare.ie, by contacting the Department’s offices, or by walking in to ask for the next available appointment. The process takes about 15 minutes to complete, once all required documents are presented. If a person is unable to attend an appointment due to challenges relating to age, mobility or disability, the Department will make alternative arrangements. These can include, where appropriate, postal registration methods or mobile SAFE registration facilities at group and community settings or, in exceptional circumstances, individually. In this context, I want to make it clear that customers who face bona fide challenges to in-person attendance will not be disadvantaged, in terms of access to payments and/or availing of Free Travel entitlements.
The Department does not collect data on the number of individuals who currently, or who, at any point in time, have had a payment stopped by reason of failing to complete the SAFE 2 registration process. This data is fluid in nature. For example, a considerable number of customers who have a payment or entitlement suspended subsequently decide to complete the SAFE2 process and have their payment or entitlement reinstated and backdated to the date of suspension. It should be noted that of the remainder, a considerable portion do not make any contact with the Department at all. The decision to stop a payment is never made lightly. However, where a customer does not “satisfy the Minister in relation to identity” as per the legislative requirements, a payment can be disqualified. In advance of any such disqualification, the Department makes every effort to engage with the customer to explain the legislative basis for the SAFE 2 registration process and the consequences of potential disqualification. Where a payment has been disqualified and the customer subsequently successfully completes the SAFE 2 registration process, their payment will be reinstated by the Department (assuming they continue to meet all qualifying criteria for that payment) from the date of compliance.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
WRITTEN question for answer on 11/09/2017 :
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of social protection payment recipients that have a public services card in 2016 and in 2017; the number of social protection payment recipients with no public services card in 2016 and in 2017; the number of social protection payments that have been withheld due to the lack of a public services card in 2016 and 2017; the total amount of those withheld payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. - Thomas P. Broughan.
Question Nos: 1827, 1839, 1840, 1842, 1847, 1868, 1871 & 1896 Ref Nos: 37550/17
37751/17
37759/17
37767/17
37875/17
38147/17
38191/17
38550/17
To the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of social protection payment recipients that have a public services card in 2016 and in 2017; the number of social protection payment recipients with no public services card in 2016 and in 2017; the number of social protection payments that have been withheld due to the lack of a public services card in 2016 and 2017; the total amount of those withheld payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Thomas P. Broughan.
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person not issued with a public services card but has proven their identity by other means such as a driving licence, passport or passport card can receive a social protection payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Ruth Coppinger.
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of families and loved ones of older persons that are in receipt of welfare payments such as pensions caused by the requirement that they hold a public services card in order to access payments in view or the fact that many recipients are not in a position to collect or easily supply the details needed for the I.D. due to the fact that they reside in nursing facilities or are ill; if her attention has been further drawn to similar concerns that the requirement will lead to some some older persons losing their entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Pearse Doherty.
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if it is a legal requirement for a person to hold a public services card in order to receive social protection payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Niall Collins.
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to her public statement, the legal basis within the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, that makes a public service card mandatory in order to interact with her department; if a public service card is necessary for all interactions with her department; the reason the operational guidelines for both job seeker's benefit and allowance allow for other forms of identification, such as a passport, for Irish citizens.
- Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire.
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she or bodies and agencies under the remit of her department plans to make services or payments dependant on the mandatory use and production of the public services card; if so, the services and payments which will now be dependant on the mandatory use of the public services card; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- John Curran.
Identical Question(s): to all Depts. except Taoiseach
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons that have been denied a social welfare payment for not being in possession of a public services card or for not having registered for a public services card; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- John Curran
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will supply the precise piece of legislation that underpins the mandatory nature of the public services card in view of the fact that the card is a mandatory requirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Catherine Murphy.
* For WRITTEN answer on Monday, 11th September, 2017.
R E P L Y
Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Regina Doherty T.D.):
It is proposed to take Question Nos. 1827, 1839, 1840, 1842, 1847, 1868, 1871 and 1896 together.
In 2005, the Government agreed a standard for establishing and verifying an individual’s identity for the purposes of accessing public services. This standard is known as the Standard Authentication Framework Environment – or “SAFE”.
The SAFE standard has four levels:
Safe 0 = No assurance of identity
Safe 1 = Balance of probabilities (the minimum authentication level for the allocation of a PPS Number)
Safe 2 = Substantial assurance (the minimum authentication level for issuing a Public Services Card)
Safe 3 = Beyond reasonable doubt
The Department operates a number of methods to SAFE 2 register a person. The usual method involves a combination of all of the following –
· a face-to-face meeting,
· the collection and verification of the person’s Public Service Identity (PSI) data set,
· the examination/validation/verification of at least two documents supporting identity, and
· photo capture and matching.
As part of the verification process the person’s photo is run through software to check against other photos that have already been taken during other SAFE 2 registrations. This is to detect and/or prevent duplicate registrations.
Until very recently, the application process for an Irish passport or a Driver’s License did not comply with the SAFE 2 standard of identity verification. Therefore, taken individually, neither a passport, nor a driver’s license, nor a birth certificate is enough to validate an identity to SAFE Level 2. For this reason, in itself, a passport or a driver’s license is not currently acceptable as the required standard of identity verification for access to benefits from my Department. However, in combination and with the other data and processes detailed above they can be used to verify an identity to the SAFE 2 standard.
Once a person completes a SAFE 2 registration they are issued with a Public Services Card (PSC) as a physical token that proves they have had their identity verified to the SAFE 2 standard. Additionally, a person may be issued with a verified MyGovID account, which is a secure online account for accessing public services digitally, and again proves in the online environment that the person has had their identity verified to the SAFE 2 standard. The PSC and MyGovID, in turn, enable individuals gain access to high value and personalised public services, in person and electronically, more efficiently and with a minimum of duplication of effort, while preserving privacy and security. In the case of services provided by my Department, the PSC is being used to replace the Social Services Card and paper Free Travel pass and MyGovID is being used to provide access to an increasing number of welfare services online at www.mywelfare.ie.
Accordingly, SAFE Level 2 registration allows a person to verify their identity once for public service purposes because it is to a substantial level of assurance. Consequently, it eliminates the need for a person to repeatedly register their identity information when accessing public services. It makes it more difficult for someone else to claim to be a person and so helps to eliminate “identity theft” and fraudulent access to someone else’s data.
The primary legislative provisions for SAFE registration and identity verification are set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 (as amended) as follows –
· Sections 262 and 263B provide for the verification of identity for issuance and use of a PPS Number.
· Sections 263, 263A and 263B provide for the verification of identity for issuance, use and cancellation of a PSC.
· Section 241 provides that a person must satisfy the Minister to his/her identity when making a new claim.
· Section 247C provides that an existing claimant must satisfy the Minister to his/her identity and provides for disqualification where an existing claimant fails to so do.
In other words, the legislation requires a person to satisfy the Minister as to their identity and allows for disallowance or disqualification from receipt of a benefit in the event that it is not done. It is not possible for a claimant to satisfy the Minister as to his or her identity without registering to SAFE 2. Given that my Department spends over €19bn p.a. on supports and services, we need to be sure that people who access these services are the people who are entitled to receive them and that they don’t access them multiple times under different identities. Accordingly, it is reasonable to ask people to verify their identity to a substantial level of assurance.
The Department makes it clear to customers in receipt of social welfare payments or Free Travel entitlements that they do need to complete a SAFE 2 registration to access, or continue to access, payments and entitlements. In the main, customers are invited to a scheduled registration appointment, completion of which results in the issue of a PSC by post. The Department also issues reminder letters to customers, as required. Customers may also book a different time/date to suit them, either online via www.mywelfare.ie, by contacting the Department’s offices, or by walking in to ask for the next available appointment. The process takes about 15 minutes to complete, once all required documents are presented. While the jobseeker’s benefit and jobseeker’s allowance operational guidelines set out the documents required to provide ‘evidence’ of identity when a person makes a claim, they also make it clear that a person must complete the SAFE 2 registration by getting a PSC to fully verify their identity.
While the default SAFE 2 registration method is ‘face-to-face’ (as set out at Sections 263B, 241 and 247C (3) of the Act), the Department can and does make other arrangements with customers, to elevate their identity verification to the SAFE 2 standard. In line with SAFE principles to build on already existing infrastructure (and subject to appropriate risk analysis, legally based data sharing and the consent of the individual), upgrading existing customers to SAFE Level 2 is undertaken as much as possible using relevant data already held by the State (e.g. Driver’s License, Passport Office, All-Ireland Free Travel Scheme) combined with a number of other items and processes. These are customers whom the Department has been dealing with for some time and who, by virtue of their circumstances, are unlikely to present a high risk of identity fraud. Pensioners who have had a passport photograph verified in a face-to-face interaction at passport application and Free Travel clients who personally collect their primary Social Welfare payments at a Post Office have availed of processes whereby whatever other information is required to register them to SAFE 2 is provided without them having to attend a Department office centre for a face-to-face interview. In addition, certain persons who have renewed their Driver’s Licence since March 2014 and in doing so have provided the Road Safety Authority with personal information and a photograph are also being offered the opportunity to complete the SAFE 2 registration process without attending a Department office. Each of these approaches is further strengthened in that all photographs are subjected to facial image matching against previously held photographs. Additionally, the Department operates a mobile registration solution to cater for those persons incapable (for whatever reason) of attending a Department office. Although this approach works best in congregated environments, individual registrations (for example at a person’s residence) can be undertaken in exceptional circumstances.
The Department is in the process of completing SAFE 2 registration of its entire existing customer base. As its customer base is not static, this is an ongoing process. As at 31 December 2016, the number of Departmental customers in payment with a PSC was 1.43M while the number of customers in payment without one was 0.56M. The equivalent numbers as at 31 July 2017 were 1.55M and 0.45M respectively. These figures are at given points in time and reflect the facts that the Department is in a rollout phase and that there is considerable movement in the Department’s customer base. These figures should not be confused with the total number of PSCs issued to date which stands at approx. 2.8 million.
Registration of the balance of the Department’s customers is being progressed, with due regard to customers who are unable to attend in person due to challenges relating to age, mobility or disability. In this regard, customers who had not yet registered for a PSC for Free travel purposes, including many pensioners, were written to earlier this year to ask if they could attend in person to register. Over 32,000 such customers have already received their PSC for Free Travel as a result of this exercise and SAFE appointments at the Department’s offices are in hand for some 20,000 more who indicated they could attend. About 10,000 customers, who responded to say they are not able to attend in person, will be facilitated by other means including, where appropriate, postal registration methods or mobile SAFE registration facilities at group and community settings. In this context, I want to make it clear that customers who face bona fide challenges to in-person attendance will not be disadvantaged, in terms of access to payments and/or availing of Free Travel entitlements.
The Department does not collect data on the number of individuals who currently, or who, at any point in time, have had a payment stopped by reason of failing to complete the SAFE 2 registration process. This data is fluid in nature. For example, a considerable number of customers who have a payment or entitlement suspended or stopped subsequently decide to complete the SAFE2 process and have their payment or entitlement reinstated. It should be noted that of the remainder, a considerable portion do not make any contact with the Department. The decision to stop a payment is never made lightly. However, where a customer does not “satisfy the Minister in relation to identity” as per the legislative requirements, a payment can be disqualified. In advance of any such disqualification, the Department makes every effort to engage with the customer to explain the legislative basis for the SAFE 2 registration process and the consequences of potential disqualification. Where a payment has been disqualified and the customer subsequently successfully completes the SAFE 2 registration process, their payment will be reinstated by the Department (assuming they continue to meet all qualifying criteria for that payment).
In other parts of the public service, many of their services have been provided to people who had their identity verified only to the SAFE Level 1 standard. Since the introduction of SAFE Level 2 registration in 2011, more services are now moving to identity verification at this level to ensure a substantial level of assurance of identity. While it is a matter for each public service provider to determine the appropriate level of identity verification required for each of its services, SAFE Level 2 registration benefits them by removing the need for them to engage in costly and inefficient identity registration processes, by reducing the number of people fraudulently claiming to be someone else, and by facilitating the provision of high-value and personalised public services online.
I hope this clarifies the matter for Deputies.
ENDS
WRITTEN question for answer on 11/09/2017 :
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of social protection payment recipients that have a public services card in 2016 and in 2017; the number of social protection payment recipients with no public services card in 2016 and in 2017; the number of social protection payments that have been withheld due to the lack of a public services card in 2016 and 2017; the total amount of those withheld payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. - Thomas P. Broughan.
Question Nos: 1827, 1839, 1840, 1842, 1847, 1868, 1871 & 1896 Ref Nos: 37550/17
37751/17
37759/17
37767/17
37875/17
38147/17
38191/17
38550/17
To the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of social protection payment recipients that have a public services card in 2016 and in 2017; the number of social protection payment recipients with no public services card in 2016 and in 2017; the number of social protection payments that have been withheld due to the lack of a public services card in 2016 and 2017; the total amount of those withheld payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Thomas P. Broughan.
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person not issued with a public services card but has proven their identity by other means such as a driving licence, passport or passport card can receive a social protection payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Ruth Coppinger.
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of families and loved ones of older persons that are in receipt of welfare payments such as pensions caused by the requirement that they hold a public services card in order to access payments in view or the fact that many recipients are not in a position to collect or easily supply the details needed for the I.D. due to the fact that they reside in nursing facilities or are ill; if her attention has been further drawn to similar concerns that the requirement will lead to some some older persons losing their entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Pearse Doherty.
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if it is a legal requirement for a person to hold a public services card in order to receive social protection payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Niall Collins.
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to her public statement, the legal basis within the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, that makes a public service card mandatory in order to interact with her department; if a public service card is necessary for all interactions with her department; the reason the operational guidelines for both job seeker's benefit and allowance allow for other forms of identification, such as a passport, for Irish citizens.
- Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire.
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she or bodies and agencies under the remit of her department plans to make services or payments dependant on the mandatory use and production of the public services card; if so, the services and payments which will now be dependant on the mandatory use of the public services card; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- John Curran.
Identical Question(s): to all Depts. except Taoiseach
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons that have been denied a social welfare payment for not being in possession of a public services card or for not having registered for a public services card; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- John Curran
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will supply the precise piece of legislation that underpins the mandatory nature of the public services card in view of the fact that the card is a mandatory requirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Catherine Murphy.
* For WRITTEN answer on Monday, 11th September, 2017.
R E P L Y
Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Regina Doherty T.D.):
It is proposed to take Question Nos. 1827, 1839, 1840, 1842, 1847, 1868, 1871 and 1896 together.
In 2005, the Government agreed a standard for establishing and verifying an individual’s identity for the purposes of accessing public services. This standard is known as the Standard Authentication Framework Environment – or “SAFE”.
The SAFE standard has four levels:
Safe 0 = No assurance of identity
Safe 1 = Balance of probabilities (the minimum authentication level for the allocation of a PPS Number)
Safe 2 = Substantial assurance (the minimum authentication level for issuing a Public Services Card)
Safe 3 = Beyond reasonable doubt
The Department operates a number of methods to SAFE 2 register a person. The usual method involves a combination of all of the following –
· a face-to-face meeting,
· the collection and verification of the person’s Public Service Identity (PSI) data set,
· the examination/validation/verification of at least two documents supporting identity, and
· photo capture and matching.
As part of the verification process the person’s photo is run through software to check against other photos that have already been taken during other SAFE 2 registrations. This is to detect and/or prevent duplicate registrations.
Until very recently, the application process for an Irish passport or a Driver’s License did not comply with the SAFE 2 standard of identity verification. Therefore, taken individually, neither a passport, nor a driver’s license, nor a birth certificate is enough to validate an identity to SAFE Level 2. For this reason, in itself, a passport or a driver’s license is not currently acceptable as the required standard of identity verification for access to benefits from my Department. However, in combination and with the other data and processes detailed above they can be used to verify an identity to the SAFE 2 standard.
Once a person completes a SAFE 2 registration they are issued with a Public Services Card (PSC) as a physical token that proves they have had their identity verified to the SAFE 2 standard. Additionally, a person may be issued with a verified MyGovID account, which is a secure online account for accessing public services digitally, and again proves in the online environment that the person has had their identity verified to the SAFE 2 standard. The PSC and MyGovID, in turn, enable individuals gain access to high value and personalised public services, in person and electronically, more efficiently and with a minimum of duplication of effort, while preserving privacy and security. In the case of services provided by my Department, the PSC is being used to replace the Social Services Card and paper Free Travel pass and MyGovID is being used to provide access to an increasing number of welfare services online at www.mywelfare.ie.
Accordingly, SAFE Level 2 registration allows a person to verify their identity once for public service purposes because it is to a substantial level of assurance. Consequently, it eliminates the need for a person to repeatedly register their identity information when accessing public services. It makes it more difficult for someone else to claim to be a person and so helps to eliminate “identity theft” and fraudulent access to someone else’s data.
The primary legislative provisions for SAFE registration and identity verification are set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 (as amended) as follows –
· Sections 262 and 263B provide for the verification of identity for issuance and use of a PPS Number.
· Sections 263, 263A and 263B provide for the verification of identity for issuance, use and cancellation of a PSC.
· Section 241 provides that a person must satisfy the Minister to his/her identity when making a new claim.
· Section 247C provides that an existing claimant must satisfy the Minister to his/her identity and provides for disqualification where an existing claimant fails to so do.
In other words, the legislation requires a person to satisfy the Minister as to their identity and allows for disallowance or disqualification from receipt of a benefit in the event that it is not done. It is not possible for a claimant to satisfy the Minister as to his or her identity without registering to SAFE 2. Given that my Department spends over €19bn p.a. on supports and services, we need to be sure that people who access these services are the people who are entitled to receive them and that they don’t access them multiple times under different identities. Accordingly, it is reasonable to ask people to verify their identity to a substantial level of assurance.
The Department makes it clear to customers in receipt of social welfare payments or Free Travel entitlements that they do need to complete a SAFE 2 registration to access, or continue to access, payments and entitlements. In the main, customers are invited to a scheduled registration appointment, completion of which results in the issue of a PSC by post. The Department also issues reminder letters to customers, as required. Customers may also book a different time/date to suit them, either online via www.mywelfare.ie, by contacting the Department’s offices, or by walking in to ask for the next available appointment. The process takes about 15 minutes to complete, once all required documents are presented. While the jobseeker’s benefit and jobseeker’s allowance operational guidelines set out the documents required to provide ‘evidence’ of identity when a person makes a claim, they also make it clear that a person must complete the SAFE 2 registration by getting a PSC to fully verify their identity.
While the default SAFE 2 registration method is ‘face-to-face’ (as set out at Sections 263B, 241 and 247C (3) of the Act), the Department can and does make other arrangements with customers, to elevate their identity verification to the SAFE 2 standard. In line with SAFE principles to build on already existing infrastructure (and subject to appropriate risk analysis, legally based data sharing and the consent of the individual), upgrading existing customers to SAFE Level 2 is undertaken as much as possible using relevant data already held by the State (e.g. Driver’s License, Passport Office, All-Ireland Free Travel Scheme) combined with a number of other items and processes. These are customers whom the Department has been dealing with for some time and who, by virtue of their circumstances, are unlikely to present a high risk of identity fraud. Pensioners who have had a passport photograph verified in a face-to-face interaction at passport application and Free Travel clients who personally collect their primary Social Welfare payments at a Post Office have availed of processes whereby whatever other information is required to register them to SAFE 2 is provided without them having to attend a Department office centre for a face-to-face interview. In addition, certain persons who have renewed their Driver’s Licence since March 2014 and in doing so have provided the Road Safety Authority with personal information and a photograph are also being offered the opportunity to complete the SAFE 2 registration process without attending a Department office. Each of these approaches is further strengthened in that all photographs are subjected to facial image matching against previously held photographs. Additionally, the Department operates a mobile registration solution to cater for those persons incapable (for whatever reason) of attending a Department office. Although this approach works best in congregated environments, individual registrations (for example at a person’s residence) can be undertaken in exceptional circumstances.
The Department is in the process of completing SAFE 2 registration of its entire existing customer base. As its customer base is not static, this is an ongoing process. As at 31 December 2016, the number of Departmental customers in payment with a PSC was 1.43M while the number of customers in payment without one was 0.56M. The equivalent numbers as at 31 July 2017 were 1.55M and 0.45M respectively. These figures are at given points in time and reflect the facts that the Department is in a rollout phase and that there is considerable movement in the Department’s customer base. These figures should not be confused with the total number of PSCs issued to date which stands at approx. 2.8 million.
Registration of the balance of the Department’s customers is being progressed, with due regard to customers who are unable to attend in person due to challenges relating to age, mobility or disability. In this regard, customers who had not yet registered for a PSC for Free travel purposes, including many pensioners, were written to earlier this year to ask if they could attend in person to register. Over 32,000 such customers have already received their PSC for Free Travel as a result of this exercise and SAFE appointments at the Department’s offices are in hand for some 20,000 more who indicated they could attend. About 10,000 customers, who responded to say they are not able to attend in person, will be facilitated by other means including, where appropriate, postal registration methods or mobile SAFE registration facilities at group and community settings. In this context, I want to make it clear that customers who face bona fide challenges to in-person attendance will not be disadvantaged, in terms of access to payments and/or availing of Free Travel entitlements.
The Department does not collect data on the number of individuals who currently, or who, at any point in time, have had a payment stopped by reason of failing to complete the SAFE 2 registration process. This data is fluid in nature. For example, a considerable number of customers who have a payment or entitlement suspended or stopped subsequently decide to complete the SAFE2 process and have their payment or entitlement reinstated. It should be noted that of the remainder, a considerable portion do not make any contact with the Department. The decision to stop a payment is never made lightly. However, where a customer does not “satisfy the Minister in relation to identity” as per the legislative requirements, a payment can be disqualified. In advance of any such disqualification, the Department makes every effort to engage with the customer to explain the legislative basis for the SAFE 2 registration process and the consequences of potential disqualification. Where a payment has been disqualified and the customer subsequently successfully completes the SAFE 2 registration process, their payment will be reinstated by the Department (assuming they continue to meet all qualifying criteria for that payment).
In other parts of the public service, many of their services have been provided to people who had their identity verified only to the SAFE Level 1 standard. Since the introduction of SAFE Level 2 registration in 2011, more services are now moving to identity verification at this level to ensure a substantial level of assurance of identity. While it is a matter for each public service provider to determine the appropriate level of identity verification required for each of its services, SAFE Level 2 registration benefits them by removing the need for them to engage in costly and inefficient identity registration processes, by reducing the number of people fraudulently claiming to be someone else, and by facilitating the provision of high-value and personalised public services online.
I hope this clarifies the matter for Deputies.
ENDS
WRITTEN question for answer on 11/09/2017 :
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the staff costs to date in 2017, based on her department’s request for 200 additional staff over a four year period regarding those only directly involved in the public service card project; the staff costs for staff involved in the internal upgrade of the ICT systems; and if she will make a statement on the matter. - Catherine Murphy.
Question No: 1848 Ref No: 37876/17
To the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the staff costs to date in 2017, based on her department’s request for 200 additional staff over a four year period regarding those only directly involved in the public service card project; the staff costs for staff involved in the internal upgrade of the ICT systems; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Catherine Murphy.
* For WRITTEN answer on Monday, 11th September, 2017.
R E P L Y
Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Regina Doherty T.D.):
In all, 2.8m Public Services Cards (PSC) have issued since SAFE registration commenced in 2011, and 66% of adults resident in the State have now completed registration to SAFE Level 2 (substantial assurance of identity) , which is the minimum for issue of a PSC.
SAFE registration facilities are available at over 100 of the Department’s locations nationally, and in at least one location in every county in the State. In-person SAFE registrations currently exceed 12,000 weekly.
Currently the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has sanctioned a total of up to 218 posts for the Public Services Card project. These posts include both temporary and permanent roles, and the numbers and locations of deployed staff are kept under constant review to ensure the best use of resources.
As of July 2017 there are 55.63 full-time-equivalent permanent staff (FTE) and 146 Temporary Clerical Officers working on the PSC Project. These figures include four full-time IT staff assigned to the PSC project. This represents a full-year staff cost of €5,857,888.33.
ENDS
WRITTEN question for answer on 11/09/2017 :
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of helpdesk staff in her department and the costs associated with calls from customers to request activation of the public service card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. - Catherine Murphy.
Question Nos: 1849, 1852, 1930 & 1931 Ref Nos: 37878/17
37885/17
38976/17
38977/17
To the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of public service cards produced; the number of cards that have been activated to date in 2017, in view of the fact that at the end of June 2016, over two million public service cards had been produced; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Catherine Murphy.
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of helpdesk staff in her department and the costs associated with calls from customers to request activation of the public service card; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Catherine Murphy.
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the outcome of completing the activation process on public services cards with respect to the use of the card; if the card can be used without being activated; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Róisín Shortall.
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of non activated public services cards which are currently in circulation; the steps she is taking to ensure they are in the possession of the correct person; the safeguards in place to ensure non activated cards are not used by persons other than the correct cardholder; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Róisín Shortall.
* For WRITTEN answer on Monday, 11th September 2017
R E P L Y
Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Regina Doherty T.D.):
It is proposed to take Question Nos. 1849, 1852, 1930 and 1931 together.
In all, approximately 2.8m Public Services Cards (PSC) have issued since SAFE registration commenced in 2011.
At the time of the commencement of the roll-out of the Public Services Card (PSC) in 2011, the then Data Protection Commissioner requested that controls be put place to ensure that PSCs were getting to the correct people. As a result, the Department requested that customers, on receipt of their PSC, make contact by telephone to confirm receipt of their card. This process was known as ‘activation’.
As part of the procurement of the production, personalisation, distribution and management of the PSC, the managed service provider was charged with the provision of a helpdesk facility to deal with customer enquiries including ‘activation’ calls. The number of staff on the helpdesk is dependent on the call volumes at any time.
Things have changed since the Data Protection Commissioner’s original request. Firstly, the PSC is sent to an address that has already been verified during the SAFE registration process within days of that process, i.e., there is no delay between registration and issuance of the card. Secondly, as more public bodies use the PSC and with the introduction of MyGovID, the opportunities for confirmation that cards have been received by the correct person have increased. Thirdly, the registration process now facilitates the capture and verification of mobile phone details. Accordingly, the Department considered that the ‘activation’ service was no longer requied and decided to cease asking customers to ring to confirm receipt of their PSC with effect from August 2016.
There is no activation process for cards post issue. All issued cards are valid.
Calls to the customer support helpdesk (the majority of which were ‘activation’ calls) up to September 2016 cost €3.1 million including VAT.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
ENDS
WRITTEN question for answer on 11/09/2017 :
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated costs of developing and issuing public service cards in 2017; if she has made provision for further costs in 2018 and 2019; the cost of the managed service provider contract to date in 2017; the duration of the contract with the service provider; and if she will make a statement on the matter. - Catherine Murphy.
Question No: 1850 Ref No: 37882/17
To the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated costs of developing and issuing public service cards in 2017; if she has made provision for further costs in 2018 and 2019; the cost of the managed service provider contract to date in 2017; the duration of the contract with the service provider; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Catherine Murphy.
* For WRITTEN answer on Monday, 11th September, 2017.
R E P L Y
Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Regina Doherty T.D.):
The roll out of Public Services cards is demand led. As a result it isn’t possible to precisely predict the volumes of cards will be issued or their costs over a given period of time. My Department has made a provision of some €5.2M to cover all costs associated with the PSC project in 2017. The Department’s estimates for 2018 and 2019 have not been finalised with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
To the end of July 2017, the latest date for which statistics are available, payments amounting to €3.626M including VAT, have been made to the managed service provider for card production and the provision of a customer helpdesk.
The contract with the managed service provider is scheduled to run to the end of this year.
ENDS
WRITTEN question for answer on 11/09/2017 :
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated costs of developing and issuing public service cards in 2017; if she has made provision for further costs in 2018 and 2019; the cost of the managed service provider contract to date in 2017; the duration of the contract with the service provider; and if she will make a statement on the matter. - Catherine Murphy.
Question No: 1850 Ref No: 37882/17
To the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated costs of developing and issuing public service cards in 2017; if she has made provision for further costs in 2018 and 2019; the cost of the managed service provider contract to date in 2017; the duration of the contract with the service provider; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Catherine Murphy.
* For WRITTEN answer on Monday, 11th September, 2017.
R E P L Y
Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Regina Doherty T.D.):
The roll out of Public Services cards is demand led. As a result it isn’t possible to precisely predict the volumes of cards will be issued or their costs over a given period of time. My Department has made a provision of some €5.2M to cover all costs associated with the PSC project in 2017. The Department’s estimates for 2018 and 2019 have not been finalised with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
To the end of July 2017, the latest date for which statistics are available, payments amounting to €3.626M including VAT, have been made to the managed service provider for card production and the provision of a customer helpdesk.
The contract with the managed service provider is scheduled to run to the end of this year.
ENDS
WRITTEN question for answer on 11/09/2017 :
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated costs of developing and issuing public service cards in 2017; if she has made provision for further costs in 2018 and 2019; the cost of the managed service provider contract to date in 2017; the duration of the contract with the service provider; and if she will make a statement on the matter. - Catherine Murphy.
Question No: 1850 Ref No: 37882/17
To the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated costs of developing and issuing public service cards in 2017; if she has made provision for further costs in 2018 and 2019; the cost of the managed service provider contract to date in 2017; the duration of the contract with the service provider; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Catherine Murphy.
* For WRITTEN answer on Monday, 11th September, 2017.
R E P L Y
Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Regina Doherty T.D.):
The roll out of Public Services cards is demand led. As a result it isn’t possible to precisely predict the volumes of cards that will be issued or their costs over a given period of time.
My Department has made a provision of some €5.2M to cover all costs associated with the PSC project in 2017. The Department’s estimates for 2018 and 2019 have not been finalised with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
To the end of July 2017, the latest date for which data is available, payments amounting to €3.626M including VAT, have been made to the managed service provider for card production and the provision of a customer helpdesk.
The contract with the managed service provider is scheduled to run to the end of this year.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
ENDS
WRITTEN question for answer on 11/09/2017 :
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will publish the original business case for the SAFE public service card project that was under development in the early 2000s; and if she will make a statement on the matter. - Catherine Murphy.
Question No: 1851 Ref No: 37883/17
To the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection
To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will publish the original business case for the SAFE public service card project that was under development in the early 2000s; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Catherine Murphy.
* For WRITTEN answer on Monday, 11th September, 2017.
R E P L Y
Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Regina Doherty T.D.):
While a single document business case wasn’t produced in the early 2000’s, the Department did endeavour, in as much as was then possible, to set out the constituent elements of a business case in the 2004 and 2005 Memoranda for Government and various associated papers (including the Accourt Study into the PSC and the SAFE Business Requirements).
In his 2015 Report on the Accounts of the Public Services, the C&AG found that elements of a good practice business case were included in several documents examined.
Given the innovative nature of the project and the fact that there weren’t any ready references for comparison purposes, it was not possible in the early stages of the project to determine precise costs and staffing requirements. Accordingly, the Department developed the project in phases and prepared costs and staffing requirements once they became known through these various phases.
The first phase of the project involved the research and design of a card and associated processes. From July 2005 to July 2007 the Department concentrated on the development of the detailed functional specification required for the PSC. It also developed a project proposal for the development and deployment of the PSC and associated infrastructure. This led to a submission in July 2007 to the Department’s Management Board resulting in the Board giving its approval to proceed with the project proposal and with the preparation of a Request for Tender for an outsourced card management service.
The second phase then was to undertake this procurement exercise for a managed services contract for the production of the card. This was completed in 2009 and then provided the Department with definitive costs for this element of the project.
The third phase was the operation of a trial or pilot to test how registration processes and card production facilities would work in practice. Once this was completed it was then possible to determine the staffing levels that would be required to undertake the customer registration processes countrywide. It would not have been possible to determine the staffing requirement in advance of this phase. This was completed in 2011 culminating in the Department’s request for sanction to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in that year.
The fourth phase was implementation which began gradually as resources became available and registration infrastructure was deployed.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
ENDS
QUESTION NOS: 273,298,299,300
DÁIL QUESTIONS addressed to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Paschal Donohoe)
by Deputy Catherine Murphy,Róisín Shortall,Róisín Shortall,Róisín Shortall
for WRITTEN ANSWER on 11/09/2017
* To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will report on the development of legislation for the regulation of data sharing between public bodies and for applicable safeguards and conditions regarding the public services card; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Catherine Murphy T.D.
For WRITTEN answer on Monday, 11 September, 2017.
* To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the Data Sharing and Governance Bill; if this Bill is planned to underpin the sharing of PSI information; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Róisín Shortall T.D.
For WRITTEN answer on Monday, 11 September, 2017.
* To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to the proposed Data Sharing and Governance Bill, the information it is envisioned this Bill will allow An Garda Síochána to request; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Róisín Shortall T.D.
For WRITTEN answer on Monday, 11 September, 2017.
* To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if an assurance can be given in respect of the security and confidentially of the data held on the public services card and other personal information shared and accessed by government departments and their agencies; the legal sanctions which apply to breaches or misuse of this data; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Róisín Shortall T.D.
For WRITTEN answer on Monday, 11 September, 2017.
REPLY.
On 7th July 2015, the Government approved the drafting of the Data Sharing and Governance Bill. The Government’s objective in bringing forward the General Scheme was to promote data sharing between public bodies for legitimate and clearly specified purposes and to improve transparency for individual rights by setting new governance standards for sharing of data between public bodies.
The Bill aims to facilitate an “ask-once, use-many” times principle, that is, a person will only be asked for their information once, but the information can be shared within the public service for the provision of other services. The intention is to significantly reduce the administrative burden on citizens and businesses and allow them to avail of higher-quality, more efficient and seamless public services. Data sharing will help Ireland align very closely with EU eGovernment and Digital Single Market developments as well as complementing national eGovernment initiatives such as the transformation of our “back office” processes and the development of a Digital Services Gateway.
The Bill takes account of and will help compliance with data protection law and the General Data Protection Regulation which takes effect in May 2018 in that data subject rights under data protection law must be complied with in the sharing of data in terms of consent, proportionality, transparency etc. Significant governance and transparency measures are proposed including a clear definition of data sharing and the purposes for which data may be shared, governance arrangements which public bodies must comply with before disclosure of information to another public body, and obligations to enter into Data Sharing Agreements and for the publication of such Agreements and the laying of them before the Houses of the Oireachtas. My colleague Minister O'Donovan proposes to bring proposals to Government shortly to further strengthen the governance and transparency arrangements in the Bill with a view to, inter alia, making it easier for citizens to know who holds their data and how it is being used.
The Bill concluded pre-legislative scrutiny in the Houses of the Oireachtas in May 2017. My officials are currently considering the report in the context of the drafting of the Bill and are working closely with the Office of the Attorney General. The drafting of the Bill has been substantially progressed since the publication of the General Scheme and I expect the Bill will be published in the Autumn.
Regarding the Public Services Card, the personal data processed as part of the registration and issuance of the card by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is legislated for in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended. The personal data processed in relation to the card form the basic data that can be used to identify an individual, such as name, date of birth, personal public service number, gender, address and information of any other type is not processed in this context.
The sharing of the data held on the card is also legislated for in the above Act, permitting the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to share this basic personal data for the purposes of authenticating an individual’s identity. The Minister may only share such data for this purpose with bodies that are specifically listed within Schedule 5 of the above Act. Furthermore, the body receiving such data must also have a legal basis for the processing of the data in its own right as per the data protection acts. Lastly, the data collected and processed as part of the Public Services Card registration and issuance process is controlled by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, and as such has and adheres to the responsibilities of a Data Controller as set out in the data protection acts.
As regards sharing of other personal data, under the existing legal framework, data-sharing provisions are included in specific Acts, based on the requirements of a particular Department or body. This legislation and data protection legislation must be complied with to allow such data sharing to occur.
Sanctions for misuse of data will depend on the particular circumstances but can be applied at organisational level or within departments at personal level as appropriate.
Finally, Deputy Shortall asked what information is envisioned that An Garda Siochana might request under this Bill. The Deputy may be concerned about data processing for the purpose of prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of crime. I wish to assure the Deputy that no specific provisions are provided in the Bill relating to information that An Garda Síochána might request. The forthcoming Data Protection Bill will transpose Directive (EU) 2016/680 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by competent authorities, including the Gardaí, for the purposes of the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties into national law. That Bill will, inter alia, regulate the sharing of personal data between competent authorities for those purposes.