Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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218. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she is aware of the barriers created by the fact that not a single PSC office in County Dublin opens outside of Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm or takes appointments; if she will review the issues this is causing to access for people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26013/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The SAFE (Standard Authentication Framework Environment) Registration process, which my Department uses to authenticate a person's identity, is currently a face- to-face process which results in the issuing of a Public Services Card (PSC).

In order to ensure maximum use of SAFE registration capacity, a combination of walk-in services and appointment services is available across the network of Intreo/SAFE offices, which remain open during lunch time hours. Information on the PSC service in each Intreo/SAFE Centres can be found on gov.ie - PSC/SAFE Registration Centres (www.gov.ie ).

My Department has an online service which allows customers with verified MyGovID accounts to renew their public service cards online at www.MyWelfare.ie . My Department is also at an advanced stage of introducing an online SAFE Registration service, to allow an individual to SAFE register at a time that best suits them using their smart phone. The new service will provide a user-friendly, secure, online alternative to complement the existing in-person SAFE Registration service. The service will be available to persons aged sixteen and over, who hold an Irish passport and who have an address on the island of Ireland.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.