Opening Statement to Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Concerns Over Public Services Card and Head 7 of Social Welfare Bill 2026 (data.oireachtas.ie)

• Head 7 of Social Welfare Bill 2026 would expand PSC use without addressing DPC findings.
• DPC found unlawful biometric data collection affecting 3.4 million people, including 13,000 children.
• ICCL and DRI call for removal of Head 7, citing risk of repeating past failures.

"The Irish Council for Civil Liberties and Digital Rights Ireland submitted an opening statement to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development. They criticize Head 7 of the General Scheme of the Social Welfare and Other Matters Bill 2026, arguing it would expand the unlawful biometric processing of the Public Services Card (PSC) without addressing issues raised by the Data Protection Commission (DPC) in June 2025. The organizations call for the removal of Head 7."