Government to roll out new digital wallet for testing next week

The new app is part of an EU-wide initiative hat aims to make public services more accessible. File picture 

The Government’s new digital wallet, which is designed to allow people to securely store their important documents such as driving licences and passports on their phones, is due to be rolled out for testing beginning early next week.

The new app is part of an EU-wide initiative that is being progressed across all member States to introduce digital wallet technology that aims to make public services more accessible. 

The introduction of the app is also part of the Government’s Digital Public Services Plan 2030.

The digital wallet will initially link to a person’s MyGov.ie account which is run by the Department of Social Protection. 

It will contain information about the person similar to that on a person’s public services card. It will also have a facility to verify a person’s age as either over or under 18 or over 65.

The age verification system works by the system simply asking the divide whether the owner is over the age of 18 or not - basically answering either yes or no - so no other information, such as dates of birth, will be shared.

While the features on the test version is limited to these two options, the Government is planning on eventually allowing people to load their driving licence, passports and other documentation onto the app.

Among the other potential uses the Government sees for the digital wallet include; keeping records of educational qualifications and certificates, keeping details of medical cards and other health documentation, as well as a means of identity verification in areas such as banking.

According to the Government, people will be able to choose how much information each of these documents provides.

The app will be released for testing early next week with up to 10,000 people being invited to trial it.

In terms of security, access to the wallet is based on a six digit pin but there is no two factor identification as of yet. There is no central database of the data on the digital wallet as all the information is kept on device.

As part of the regulations around the digital wallet, its use will be voluntary and that no one will be restricted or disadvantaged for not using it.