(This listing is for guidance purposes only and does not purport to be a legal interpretation)
| POWER | LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE | ENABLING ACT | DATE ENACTED |
| Minister may issue a PSC | Section 263(1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 14 of the Social Welfare Act 1998; carried forward into the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005; and substituted by Section 9(1) of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2010 | 1 April 1998;
1 December 2005 (enactment of SWCA 2005); 21 December 2010 |
| Information to be inscribed on the PSC | Section 263 (1A) and (1B) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 9(1) of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2010 | 21 December 2010 |
| Minister must be satisfied as to the identity of the person before a PSC is issued | Section 263 (1C) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012 | 7 June 2012 |
| A person will be provided with the information that is encoded on his/her card within 28 days of requesting that information | Section 263 (2) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 14(1) Social Welfare Act 1998 | 1 August 1998 |
| A person is required to produce the PSC for the purposes of a transaction when asked to do so by a specified body | Section 263 (3) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 200 | Section 14(1) Social Welfare Act 1998 | 1 August 1998 |
| The only people that can use the card or ask for it to be produced are (i) the holder of the PSC or a person appointed to act on his/her behalf (ii) a specified body for the purposes of a transaction and (iii) a person who has a transaction with a specified body and the personal public service number of the card is relevant to that transaction. Any other use of the card is an offence | Section 263 (4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 14(1) Social Welfare Act 1998 | 1 August 1998 |
| Minister may cancel a PSC in certain circumstances (e.g. when the PSC is lost or stolen) | Section 263 A(1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| Where a card is cancelled, the Minister will explain why to the card holder | Section 263A (2) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| Where a card is cancelled, it must be surrendered to the Minister | Sections 263A (3) and 263A (4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| Any person who has a PSC which is not their own must surrender it to the Minister | Section 263A (5) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| A person who refuses to surrender a PSC which is not their own, or has been cancelled, is guilty of an offence | Section 263A (6) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| A payment service provider (for example, a post office) can confiscate a PSC and surrender it to the Minister in certain circumstances (e.g. when they are aware that the card is not being used by the owner of the card) | Section 263A (7) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 263A (7) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | 17 July 2014 |
| For the purposes of authenticating the identity of a person to whom a PSC is to be issued, the Minister may request the person to present themselves at a specified place, provide certain documentation, have a photograph taken and provide a signature in electronic form | Section 263B (1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012. | 7 June 2012 |
| The Minister will retain, in electronic form, the photograph and signature obtained under the process set out in Section 263B (1) | Section 263B (2) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012. | 7 June 2012 |
| A condition of a person’s right to a benefit is that they satisfy the Minister as to their identity | Section 241 (1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 241 (1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | 7 June 2012 |
| For the purposes of authenticating the identity of a person making a claim for a social welfare payment, the Minister may request the person to present themselves at a specified place, provide certain documentation, have a photograph taken and provide a signature in electronic form | Section 241 (1C) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012. | 7 June 2012 |
| The Minister will retain, in electronic form, the photograph and signature obtained under authentication process set out in Section 241 (1C) | Section 241 (1D) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012. | 7 June 2012 |
| For the purposes of authenticating the identity of a person in receipt of a social welfare payment, the Minister may request the person to present themselves at a specified place, provide certain documentation, have a photograph taken and provide a signature in electronic form | Section 247C (3) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 11 of the Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013. | 28 June 2013 |
| The Minister will retain, in electronic form, the photograph and signature obtained under the process set out in Section 247C (3) | Section 247C (4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 11 of the Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013. | 28 June 2013 |
| The Minister is not prevented from using a different method of authentication to that set out in Section 247(C) | Section 263A (2) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 11 of the Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013. | 28 June 2013 |
| A person presenting for a social welfare benefit shall furnish his/her public services card in order to satisfy the Minister as to his/her identity. | Section 242 (4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 9(a) of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015. | 6 May 2015 |
| List of specified bodies who may use the PSC for the purposes of a transaction | Schedule 5 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | 1 December 2005* |
* Note that Schedule 5 has been amended on a number of occasions to provide for additions to the list of specified bodies or to reflect changes in the title of specified bodies.
(This listing is for guidance purposes only and does not purport to be a legal interpretation)
| POWER | LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE | ENABLING ACT | DATE ENACTED |
| Minister may issue a PSC | Section 263(1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 14 of the Social Welfare Act 1998; carried forward into the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005; and substituted by Section 9(1) of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2010 | 1 April 1998;
1 December 2005 (enactment of SWCA 2005); 21 December 2010 |
| Information to be inscribed on the PSC | Section 263 (1A) and (1B) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 9(1) of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2010 | 21 December 2010 |
| Minister must be satisfied as to the identity of the person before a PSC is issued | Section 263 (1C) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012 | 7 June 2012 |
| A person will be provided with the information that is encoded on his/her card within 28 days of requesting that information | Section 263 (2) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 14(1) Social Welfare Act 1998 | 1 August 1998 |
| A person is required to produce the PSC for the purposes of a transaction when asked to do so by a specified body | Section 263 (3) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 200 | Section 14(1) Social Welfare Act 1998 | 1 August 1998 |
| The only people that can use the card or ask for it to be produced are (i) the holder of the PSC or a person appointed to act on his/her behalf (ii) a specified body for the purposes of a transaction and (iii) a person who has a transaction with a specified body and the personal public service number of the card is relevant to that transaction. Any other use of the card is an offence | Section 263 (4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 14(1) Social Welfare Act 1998 | 1 August 1998 |
| Minister may cancel a PSC in certain circumstances (e.g. when the PSC is lost or stolen) | Section 263 A(1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| Where a card is cancelled, the Minister will explain why to the card holder | Section 263A (2) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| Where a card is cancelled, it must be surrendered to the Minister | Sections 263A (3) and 263A (4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| Any person who has a PSC which is not their own must surrender it to the Minister | Section 263A (5) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| A person who refuses to surrender a PSC which is not their own, or has been cancelled, is guilty of an offence | Section 263A (6) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| A payment service provider (for example, a post office) can confiscate a PSC and surrender it to the Minister in certain circumstances (e.g. when they are aware that the card is not being used by the owner of the card) | Section 263A (7) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 263A (7) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | 17 July 2014 |
| For the purposes of authenticating the identity of a person to whom a PSC is to be issued, the Minister may request the person to present themselves at a specified place, provide certain documentation, have a photograph taken and provide a signature in electronic form | Section 263B (1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012. | 7 June 2012 |
| The Minister will retain, in electronic form, the photograph and signature obtained under the process set out in Section 263B (1) | Section 263B (2) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012. | 7 June 2012 |
| A condition of a person’s right to a benefit is that they satisfy the Minister as to their identity | Section 241 (1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 241 (1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | 7 June 2012 |
| For the purposes of authenticating the identity of a person making a claim for a social welfare payment, the Minister may request the person to present themselves at a specified place, provide certain documentation, have a photograph taken and provide a signature in electronic form | Section 241 (1C) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012. | 7 June 2012 |
| The Minister will retain, in electronic form, the photograph and signature obtained under authentication process set out in Section 241 (1C) | Section 241 (1D) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012. | 7 June 2012 |
| For the purposes of authenticating the identity of a person in receipt of a social welfare payment, the Minister may request the person to present themselves at a specified place, provide certain documentation, have a photograph taken and provide a signature in electronic form | Section 247C (3) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 11 of the Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013. | 28 June 2013 |
| The Minister will retain, in electronic form, the photograph and signature obtained under the process set out in Section 247C (3) | Section 247C (4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 11 of the Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013. | 28 June 2013 |
| The Minister is not prevented from using a different method of authentication to that set out in Section 247(C) | Section 263A (2) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 11 of the Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013. | 28 June 2013 |
| A person presenting for a social welfare benefit shall furnish his/her public services card in order to satisfy the Minister as to his/her identity. | Section 242 (4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 9(a) of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015. | 6 May 2015 |
| List of specified bodies who may use the PSC for the purposes of a transaction | Schedule 5 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | 1 December 2005* |
* Note that Schedule 5 has been amended on a number of occasions to provide for additions to the list of specified bodies or to reflect changes in the title of specified bodies.
(This listing is for guidance purposes only and does not purport to be a legal interpretation)
| POWER | LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE | ENABLING ACT | DATE ENACTED |
| Minister may issue a PSC | Section 263(1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 14 of the Social Welfare Act 1998; carried forward into the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005; and substituted by Section 9(1) of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2010 | 1 April 1998;
1 December 2005 (enactment of SWCA 2005); 21 December 2010 |
| Information to be inscribed on the PSC | Section 263 (1A) and (1B) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 9(1) of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2010 | 21 December 2010 |
| Minister must be satisfied as to the identity of the person before a PSC is issued | Section 263 (1C) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012 | 7 June 2012 |
| A person will be provided with the information that is encoded on his/her card within 28 days of requesting that information | Section 263 (2) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 14(1) Social Welfare Act 1998 | 1 August 1998 |
| A person is required to produce the PSC for the purposes of a transaction when asked to do so by a specified body | Section 263 (3) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 200 | Section 14(1) Social Welfare Act 1998 | 1 August 1998 |
| The only people that can use the card or ask for it to be produced are (i) the holder of the PSC or a person appointed to act on his/her behalf (ii) a specified body for the purposes of a transaction and (iii) a person who has a transaction with a specified body and the personal public service number of the card is relevant to that transaction. Any other use of the card is an offence | Section 263 (4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 14(1) Social Welfare Act 1998 | 1 August 1998 |
| Minister may cancel a PSC in certain circumstances (e.g. when the PSC is lost or stolen) | Section 263 A(1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| Where a card is cancelled, the Minister will explain why to the card holder | Section 263A (2) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| Where a card is cancelled, it must be surrendered to the Minister | Sections 263A (3) and 263A (4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| Any person who has a PSC which is not their own must surrender it to the Minister | Section 263A (5) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| A person who refuses to surrender a PSC which is not their own, or has been cancelled, is guilty of an offence | Section 263A (6) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 | 29 June 2011 |
| A payment service provider (for example, a post office) can confiscate a PSC and surrender it to the Minister in certain circumstances (e.g. when they are aware that the card is not being used by the owner of the card) | Section 263A (7) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 263A (7) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | 17 July 2014 |
| For the purposes of authenticating the identity of a person to whom a PSC is to be issued, the Minister may request the person to present themselves at a specified place, provide certain documentation, have a photograph taken and provide a signature in electronic form | Section 263B (1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012. | 7 June 2012 |
| The Minister will retain, in electronic form, the photograph and signature obtained under the process set out in Section 263B (1) | Section 263B (2) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012. | 7 June 2012 |
| A condition of a person’s right to a benefit is that they satisfy the Minister as to their identity | Section 241 (1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 241 (1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | 7 June 2012 |
| For the purposes of authenticating the identity of a person making a claim for a social welfare payment, the Minister may request the person to present themselves at a specified place, provide certain documentation, have a photograph taken and provide a signature in electronic form | Section 241 (1C) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012. | 7 June 2012 |
| The Minister will retain, in electronic form, the photograph and signature obtained under authentication process set out in Section 241 (1C) | Section 241 (1D) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012. | 7 June 2012 |
| For the purposes of authenticating the identity of a person in receipt of a social welfare payment, the Minister may request the person to present themselves at a specified place, provide certain documentation, have a photograph taken and provide a signature in electronic form | Section 247C (3) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 11 of the Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013. | 28 June 2013 |
| The Minister will retain, in electronic form, the photograph and signature obtained under the process set out in Section 247C (3) | Section 247C (4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 11 of the Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013. | 28 June 2013 |
| The Minister is not prevented from using a different method of authentication to that set out in Section 247(C) | Section 263A (2) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 11 of the Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013. | 28 June 2013 |
| A person presenting for a social welfare benefit shall furnish his/her public services card in order to satisfy the Minister as to his/her identity. | Section 242 (4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | Section 9(a) of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015. | 6 May 2015 |
| List of specified bodies who may use the PSC for the purposes of a transaction | Schedule 5 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 | 1 December 2005* |
* Note that Schedule 5 has been amended on a number of occasions to provide for additions to the list of specified bodies or to reflect changes in the title of specified bodies.
