No mobile phone? No public services card

CITIZENS who do not have access to a mobile phone will not be able to get the controversial public services card, the Minister for Social Protection says.

Social Democrats Co-Leader Catherine Murphy has been told by the Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty that anyone without a mobile would not be able to complete the application for the card, which is essential for an increasing number of State services.

This is due to a security requirement that a verification code be sent to a mobile to complete registration.

Ms Murphy asked what the protocol was for those who do not own a mobile phone.

In parliamentary correspondence, Minister Doherty said: ‘A MyGovID account is a secure online account for accessing public services. The process for registering and using a verified MyGovID account proves in the online environment the person has had their identity verified to the SAFE 2 standard.

‘As part of the application of that standard in the online environment, my department seeks to ensure that a person’s account is not used by another person.

‘This is vital to ensure that personal data is only made available to the correct person and that data protection requirements are satisfied. This is done by employing twofactor authentication each time the person uses the account.

‘This means that in addition to requesting a username and password, a one-time verification code is sent to the person’s verified mobile phone which they must also provide when logging in.

‘Accordingly, at present, if a person does not have access to a mobile phone, then they cannot obtain a verified MyGovID account, and may not avail of online access to high-value public services,’ she said.