Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL Protection (DSP) has issued over 263,000 Public Services Cards (PSC) to people claiming social welfare and recipients of the Free Travel Pass since the roll out of the scheme last year.
Figures provided in a written answer by the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, show that a total of 263,482 cards have been issued up to 8 July of this year following the roll out of the scheme in 2012.
The card aims to provide public service providers with a verification of an individual’s identity, particularly those collecting social welfare payments and using the Free Travel Pass.
Civil liberties groups have hit out at the scheme, describing it as a costly political stunt.
Burton says the scheme offers a number of beenfits including the reduction in the rate of fraud and errors and improvement on existing cards such as the Social Services Card and the Free Travel Pass with better security measures contained in the new PSC.
She also said in her written answer that the PSC offers an improvement on the efficiency of every service delivered by the State by removing duplication “caused by multiple agencies each solving the problem of identity and authentication themselves”.
The PSC is currently being rolled out via two methods. One is a ‘face-to-face’ process at a local DSP office, which takes an applicant for social welfare payments around 15 minutes to complete.
There is also a postal registration method which requires an applicant to authorise the use of data on them held by other State agencies such as the Passport Office for the purposes of creating their PSC.
Burton said that the majority of cards have been issued to jobseekers allowance claimants and applicants for a new PPS number.
According to a county-by-county breakdown of PSC cardholders, Dublin accounts for 121,659 cardholders with just 45 cardholders in Fermanagh:
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
There is probably an obvious answer to this but why do people in Northern Ireland get one?
Good question
I’m from NI and been living in Dublin 3 years, I was issued one when I applied for a PPS number
But wouldn’t that be covered by the Dublin numbers.
I would assume some people living in northern Ireland might have worked in the ROI and if they lost their jobs for example, they should be entitled to unemployment benefit given PRSI paid. I guess that shouldn’t pass into unemployment allowance though when benefit timeframe runs out. I’m just guessing though.
I’m guessing it probably works the same way as the passport system, filling out basic info on the application form means I put home/original address as Co Antrim!
Um, bic biro I’m not convinced by that, I don’t think you can claim benefits in a country you don’t live in.
Grace, was your card sent to your NI address?
You can claim job seekers benefit from Ireland in another EU country for a certain amount of time. If you are of JSA you must claim from the country you live in.
Possibly you are right. I just thought jobs seekers benefit was paid if you have paid enough PRSI while working. Otherwise everyone living in the North but working in south would have to set themselves up to pay their tax in the North under the living in a different country for more than x days laws. I’m interested to know the right answer. Def a good question.
What are Civil Liberties groups whining about? Anything that assists in cutting down abuse in this monster of a Department should be warmly welcomed….also interesting how Donegal has high numbers of holders of these cards considering its population compared to similar sized counties…Do these figures include the Bogside in Derry?
@matt. So that was my thinking too.
Like I said I don’t know, maybe Matt is right, maybe there is a similar number of Germans claiming unemployment benefit in Ireland. I just found it surprising.
Ok so here’s a link with some info which likely explains it.
http://www.losingyourjob.ie/leaving-ireland/transferring_your_social_security.html.en
Nope, card is issued on the spot
“If you are leaving Ireland to move to Northern Ireland or Britain your Social Welfare Local Office will issue you with the Form U2 (formerly Form E303) which you take to the UK social services. If you are moving to another EU country the Department of Social Protection will send the U2 form to your new address in that EU country.” So I think that means you are not issued with a new card in Northern Ireland, just a form.
That explains that, thanks Grace.
This explains the differences between a U1 form that EU nationals fill in to claim job seekers benefit abroad and a U2 form that NI and UK residents fill in
http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/social-security-forms/index_en.htm
@Steve, so the U2 forms allows NI and UK residents to continue claiming benefit in Ireland while looking for a job in NI. Having been made unemployed in Ireland. I imagine during that period they can get one of these cards.
In relation to getting welfare while living in another country – I believe you can claim for up to 6 months if you are seeking a job in the new country of residence.
@Bicbiro…If this is the case and I’ve no doubt it is considering how everything is done so arseways in this country, Is it actually the case that I can move to another country ie UK, Holland or wherever yet still claim “job seekers” allowance in Ireland? That is simply bananas….
But you would have to be claiming already, which would mean you’d already have a card, so why would a new one be sent out to Northern Ireland.
@Jimmy, there’s nothing about claiming allowance just benefit which means people recently made unemployed who have work for a set amount of years.
@Bicbiro. OK, thanks for clarifying that. It would have been crazy to think that I could claim “job seekers” allowance here while living abroad. Then again in the Land of “entitlement” everything and anything is possible and nothing would surprise me…
Just what I was wondering, Steve!
If so, should there not be other EU countries represented in the figures? And that still doesn’t explain the Six Counties figures, imo.
People that work and pay tax towards the south that live in the north
Should be the same bough sides of the border that way stops cross-border fraud from the two sides.
But why the difference?
A’ yes Scarr and then come back claim here for a few weeks/ months and start all over again stupid paddy again.
Why do junkies even get a free travel pass? It’s not as if they’re using it for work.
No Mr Jingles, you’re missing the point, not every junkie live near a canal or water way. As such, without a free travel pass, these people would be discriminated against during times of good weather for the drinking of alcoholic beverages!
Their Job is been a Junkie and they ‘nade ta ge in da toon to meeet ur man fur da geeeeer’
@ John
You guys are all so pc about everything but when it comes to addicts there just junkies
Why don’t you talk about the fact that heroin use went up 90% when Afghanistan was invaded or that CIA have been caught drug dealing attack the source not the outcome it just shows your complete ignorance to the fake war on drugs most of the people on here haven’t a clue what’s really going on
How can the “Civil Liberties” group “hit out” at the issuing of these cards? It’s a fantastic idea that’ll hopefully cut down on fraud.
Because its another step closer to a national ID card. The Garda age card was the first. Hurry up already with the full ID card!
What have you got against National ID cards Paul? I think it would be a good idea (If it was a tamper proof form of identification with biometric data)
I tend to think that a National ID card is a good thing (but happy to listen to some kind of logical argument against).
As a mark of good faith, couldn’t they issue cards to all Oireachtas members and public servants first?
The dangers of an all inclusive national ID card arise from the potential for abuse of such personal data by civil servants.
However, considering the savings and efficiencies from streamlining IDs it is high time we got them in Ireland.
I don’t understand what’s wrong with ID cards… Almost 183 countries in the world have ID cards and only the UK and Ireland have no ID card system. One number can prevent fraud caused by multiple identification. I solve a lot of problems with my ID number when i’m in my home country… No wonder why Identity & SW fraud is very high in the UK and Ireland…
1] How much would a smart national ID card cost us to impliment?Considering the track record of the Irish govt with electronic projects like voteing machines,Dublin bus pass,etc.
2] How secure will the information be to non authorised access?? IOW will your doctor be able to access your tax info,or the Gaurds your medical records or the tax man your gun liscense info?
3] RFID readers and Identity theft are becoming a growing problem.You can now have a RFID reader about the size of a mobile phone and can swipe RFID info from 3 meters.So unless you lock your ID card away in a steel wallet,your info is available to ID hackers.
4]How secure will your ID and info be in Govt banks to misuse??Remember the big to do about lotto winners social welfare records being gawked at by curious staff who right to this info?? Or unscrouplous private investigators aquiring social welfare records??All this technology will make it easier for your info to be stolen or abused.
Could go on,but that is a starter for six on this Orwellian idea.
Paul Clancy the soon the better then the thief has nowhere to go let it be fraud of house break- ins what ever should be national finger printing also.
Have they issued the cards to the people that have to fly in to collect there dole and children’s allowance.
They caught a whole load by getting them to prove children were resident…caught a few Irish out too because they’d been hopping from house to house. Sorry, but it’s true, know a few of them!
That’s disgusting. These people should be fined or jailed and have their entitlements to social welfare revoked. Too many in Ireland treat social welfare as a legitimate lifestyle option.
Enda you may ask Davit O’Leary because Ryanair are the cause of all that with there cheap flights from/to eastern Europe and the likes.
It should have been done years ago , the amount of fraud and multiple claiming that went on !! This could be very well stamped out with a simple photograph on a card , the penny drops when the country is broke and desperate to save money ,
Hear, hear! A
Well said. Not enough people are willing to point at social welfare as a major problem in Ireland. Far more are willing to go after self-employed business people, teachers or doctors. Needs to be carefully examined and rationalised like all areas financed by government.
10 years ago you could tell the scrounges from the good folk , unfortunately now with so many on the bread line we have no idea of who actually deserves a handout or a helping Hand
I can still tell the difference.
My mother, who was working for a company since she was 14, who claims job seekers looks nothing like the heroine junky on welfare, rent allowance & the free travel pass.
Ive always said that drug testing for people on the dole is the way forward, you fail & your payments are frozen while a spot in rehab is reserved for you.
Then drug testing for those at work. Sacked if you fail. Then someone on the dole can have that job.
Drug testing is actually becoming quite popular in the private sector particularly in America though we can’t force it here it wouldn’t object to any company introducing it.
As for the public sector I don’t see why not, set a standard.
Certain areas of the public sector have it I think, Gardai, Army would be obvious ones if not
In some states in US, if you fail drug test you don’t get your welfare…should be brought in here without a doubt!
Something needs to be done in this country about welfare system, total joke! Still can see an episode of Katherine Lynch where she went to a shopping centre in one particular area of Dublin pretending to be a sales scammer, one Q was what’s your bank account number. One lad, who was well passed 40 answer “Never had one, never had a job, have been on dole all my life” Even she was like “Are you serious?”
Adam Power let it be public or private can’t means won’t.
VIP pass
The whole Social Welfare system is a farce. People getting free travel who don’t need it; people receiving “disability payments” who are anything but disabled. The list is endless. A complete and utter con job.
Donegal 16k – Waterford 7k. Alarm bells going off there in fairness.
Step 1 on the road to a national I.D. Card.
….and?
Yea,Civil Liberties says what an crazy idea, an ID card that would identify and confirm you are actually the person who you say you are,the fact it would help prevent welfare fraud and other illegal activity which is costing this bankrupt state billions, that would be a step too far,right.
free travel pass should be for oap and physically or mentally handicapped only.no wonder CIE struggling.the amount of junkys and lowlife dirt who have a pass is outrageous
Free travel pass should have had photo on it, the amount of people with free travel and not a thing wrong with them is ridiculous often the pass is not their own
Can you tell by looking at them? thats amazing
I got one over 6 months ago, not a receipent of a social welfare payment, free travel pass or any other state benifit bar children’s allowance for one child. I vaguely remember signing and returning a simple form requesting that details held on file be used. The picture is the same one that is on my passport and driving licence.
So that’s what the universal social charge was for!.. I see now.
Donegal looks dodgy as F**k. Time to send in the investigators and go through that place with a fine tooth comb.
Here ya go ladds…….A Dublin man has avoided a jail term for “a dirty little scheme” of fraudulently claiming more than €43,000 in social welfare over a four year period using his brother’s identity.
The court heard that Martin Foley claimed roughly €188 in Job Seeker’s Allowance every week from his local post office using his brother’s social welfare card.
Foley, who has a chronic alcohol addiction, was also claiming disability allowance during the same period.
His brother, Brendan Foley, has been living in the UK since the mid-80s and knew nothing of the fraud.
Foley (aged 53) of Walnut Rise, Courtlands, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to nine counts of deceptively inducing another to make a payment of Job Seeker’s Allowance, using a social welfare card in the name of Brendan Foley, at a post office on Drumcondra Road Lower and the Social Welfare Office on Kings Inns Street, between August 2007 and November 2011.
He also pleaded guilty to filling out a false ML10 identity form in the name of Brendan Foley at Whitehall Garda Station on March 5, 2011.
The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted these 10 sample counts from a total of 63 charges, and the remainder were taken into consideration.
Judge Donagh McDonagh described it as a “carefully, well thought-out plan” with no consideration for the people of Ireland who were funding his “dirty little scheme”.
He avoided a jail term?
Good to see Gov trying to get a hold of the out of control social welfare situation in this country. They need to go further with measures to stop us turning into a complete welfare state.
It feels like an invasion of privacy. Why should I have a ‘dole card’ when I have claimed a total of one week’s dole in my life. Why should I be on their system? Fair enough for claimants of 1+ year. I didn’t do it.
@R,
There’s several reasons you’d be on their system. Here’s a few reasons off the top of my head (there’s probably a lot more):
1. If you’re a PAYE worker, you’d need a PPSN number.
2. If you ever have children in Ireland, Social Protection automatically register a Child Benefit claim when you register your baby’s birth
3. Every time you pay a PRSI payment, it contributes towards your State Pension
I don’t mind the gov having records of me, it is the specific nature of a Social Welfare card aimed at keeping track of scroungers. They sent me two automated appointments, in the middle of the day during the week. It isn’t intended to keep track of PRSI paying citizens. An ID card is preferable in this case.
Imagine whipping out your social welfare card as ID in a bar.
And for your libary card,bank account and for just about everything else .It is what has happened in the US with your social security number.People have become so acustomed to giving it out,they dont question who is actually entitled to have their SSN anymore.Actually it is like over 75% of organisations and bodies in the US are NOT entitled to SSN info.No wonder ID theft and social welfare fraud are still predominant crimes in the states.
@R – It’s a public services card not a social welfare card. I was automatically issued one upon applying for a PPS number…. So that I could work in the Republic of Ireland. Not sure what your issue is.
They are public service cards not social welfare cards. In time other departments and agencies will be using them for their services.
What an intriguing piece of news that is…
Social welfare claimants got issued public service cards, serious discussion about this at our lunch break
Every one should have one, that unless you have somthing to hide
Sure then Flippermac,you wont mind the Gaurds,welfare and child support the revenue and any other doo gooder dropping by your house tomrrow at 3am..Going thru all your personal papers,questioning your spouse and children without you, or legal council present,and no need for an ol search warrent either, they were just looking…No objection to that??Sure you have done nothing wrong you have nothing to hide…
Simon what a stupit comment to make, please tell me you don’t talk like that outside the house
Do the ppsn holders on Pitcairn Islands get one aswell.? Why do they have irish ppsn?
Will the people on Pitcairn Islands get these cards, as they hold irish ppsn numbers which are issued to them by English government.
have your say