Civil liberties organisations have expressed “serious concerns” over Government proposals to allow Public Services Cards to be used as a valid form of age verification.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and Digital Rights Ireland (DRI) argue that expanding the card’s role into a broader national identification tool will “compound the legal issues with the card rather than resolving them”, reports RTE.
Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary obtained Cabinet approval to prioritise drafting legislation that would permit Public Services Card holders to use it as identification when dealing with bodies not currently covered by existing laws, such as banks, credit unions, and utility providers.
The Government said: “Currently, should a non-specified body accept the Public Services Card as a form of identity verification, they would be guilty of an offence,
“This amendment will allow a cardholder to use – of their own volition – their Public Services Card as a form of identity in, for instance, their local credit union, the bank, or with a utility provider,” reports RTE.
The proposal would also allow individuals to opt to have their date of birth displayed on the card so it can function as a form of age verification.
‘A de facto national identity card’
However, the ICCL noted that this development follows a ruling by the Data Protection Commission (DPC), which found that the Department of Employment and Social Protection had unlawfully processed the facial biometric data of up to 70% of the population over a 15-year period, reports RTE.
Digital Rights Ireland chairman Dr TJ McIntyre said the card was originally intended for social welfare use but is now evolving into “a de facto national identity card”.
He said: “There has been no public debate about introducing a national identity card and no proper legislative framework,” reports RTE.
Olga Cronin, senior policy officer at Enforce, ICCL, said: “Despite the warnings, the Government is allowing the PSC to be turned into an unlegislated, badly planned national identity card system without considering the data protection implications,
“It is at risk of normalising unregulated mass surveillance and undermining public trust at a very sensitive time,” reports RTE.
At the same time, the Government has been examining the potential introduction of age verification requirements for social media platforms.
Tánaiste Simon Harris said that a “digital wallet” would represent the next phase of such plans, with a public consultation currently in progress, reports RTE.
The proposed digital wallet application would provide a secure way to access digital versions of documents like a birth certificate or driving licence, enabling quick verification and compatibility across the EU, reports RTE.
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