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MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT Shane Ross has said civil servants in his department were “vindicated” over their concerns around the Public Services Card (PSC), following the findings of the Data Protection Commissioner’s report into its legality.
A summary of that report – which the government has so far refused to publish in full – outlined how there is no legal basis for making a PSC mandatory for services other than social welfare and benefits.
This week, the Data Protection Commission said it would be seeking enforcement action against the government for its refusal to act on the findings of the report.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Ross said officials in department “did the right thing” by flagging their issues with making the card a mandatory requirement for a driving test, despite other government departments pushing the card for other services.
At least €2 million was ploughed into the project of making a PSC a requirement for getting a driving test before the minister pulled the plug in March 2018.
Documents released to TheJournal.ie under the freedom of information act showed that the Road Safety Authority (RSA), the body responsible for driving tests, had grave concerns about the legality of the card.
Senior RSA officials repeatedly questioned the Department of Transport, the authority’s parent body and the main driver behind the project, as to whether or not using the card as the only means to obtain a licence would in fact be legal, and were reassured that was indeed the case by the most senior civil servant in the department.
However, over a period of months into early 2018, that position changed.
Ross told the RSA, via his officials, that the plan could not proceed as projected due to the fact specific legislation would have to be drafted in order for it to do so, a position taken following consultation with the office of the Attorney General.
The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection subsequently wrote to the Department of Transport that this decision would suggest that there were “problems” with the PSC process.
In considering the message, a senior civil servant at the Department of Transport expressed fundamental concerns regarding the whole project.
“The deeper I look into this whole matter the more concerned I get and the greater the number of fundamental questions arise,” they wrote.
In another piece of correspondence, an official wrote: “The minister is having significant doubts about this… we got similar assurance but with little confidence that the [Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection] really grasp the likely impact, in both numbers and, critically, different users to their usual client base.”
In removing it as a requirement for a driving test and theory test, Ross was acting on the concerns of officials at his department and the RSA.
Furthermore, Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon told TheJournal.ie last month that it was “misleading” to claim that having a PSC makes applying for your driving licence easier, as was claimed on the National Driver’s Licence Service website.
Speaking two weeks after the landmark findings of the Data Protection Commissioner on the legality of the PSC were made public, Minister Ross said he had to give “full credit to the civil servants” in his department.
“It was the civil servants who spotted this, and they did issue the warning,” he said.
I do think that the people in my department who pointed this out were doing the right thing, and were maybe were more pressing than others, and they’ve been vindicated.
With reporting from Christina Finn, Cianan Brennan
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The media really gets the horn for the word ” LOCKDOWN! ”
Sqeeze it into every possible article regardless of its significance.
That said, I hope all the charity workers get home safely.
There is always an element of risk to those doing good work in bad places.
South Sudan is a dreadful place, I saw a program recently and the abuse of the civilian population is appalling especially women and children. It wouldn’t take much of a force to hold these barbarians to account for their crimes. Hope these brave workers are safe and well.
We pay over €650 million a year for this foreign aid crap.
It’s time to stop it right now and spend the money on our own hospitals and looking after our own sick and needy.
Oh my God, they’re right to be concern ed – As staff from an Irish Charity, they prob each have about €90,000 on them in cash right now :(
Kane Able. I suppose you think you’re funny. You first class gobsh!te.
@Kane Abel,
Yes, they went to do good and they did very well indeed.
Aid workers my A.. I spent years in East and west Africa. These clowns arrive dressed like good old colonial boys.never see the bush or real life they stay in their secured compounds or hotels far out of the reach of Danger. I remember having a pint with one guy in particular in the Hilton hotel in Abuja who couldn’t wait to get home after a six week trip.when asked where he had been he told me hadn’t left Abuja.I found out a pints later he hadn’t even left the Hotel and it’s grounds I laughed that night.Not that funny though it’s the poor buggers who donate to the charity’s that keep these clowns in four star hotels.I feel for I hope the aid workers mentioned in the article don’t get hurt but it won’t do them any harm to see a bit of action.
No sympathy for these exorbitantly paid do gooders.
Eamon Mac Gowan. Another fooking fool who thinks he is funny.
You go off to South Sudan and do it so, how about voluntarily too?
It’s a great adventure driving around Africa in a brand new 4×4, these yuppies that do this are usually related to government ministers.
It looks great on their CV too.
I was gonna post a spoofy comment like “Why is that our problem if those idiots chose to go a country like Sudan?” but you are here.
I’m one of those “yuppies” that drove around in 4x4s in South Sudan and your comments are poorly informed and reflect more on you. The work that NGOs do in South Sudan is vital and has played a central role in the development of the worlds newest country.
I’m very happy for you to be my guest in South Sudan next time. I’ll meet you at the border and show you around…although I’m guessing you don’t have what it takes to go and see for yourself.
“Thousands fled renewed heavy fighting in the capital Juba today as former rebels and government soldiers exchanged fire in several parts of the city.”
Helena it seems like the charities are feeding,educating and providing health care to the populations in these despot countries while the governments spend what money they have on military equipment and soldiers!
@Helena Quinn,
I object to my taxes being used for you to play Lady Bountiful.
have your say