Department facing 24 legal actions over use of biometric data in Public Services Card

Biometric data refers to any information that can identify a person by their physical characteristics — for example, via a fingerprint or, in the PSC case, a photograph.

The Department of Social Protection has said it is facing 24 separate legal actions connected to the use of biometric data in the Public Services Card.

In an update for the Public Accounts Committee, the department said it was “aware of 24 outstanding circuit court cases brought by members of the public arising from the Public Service (sic) Card/retention of biometric data”.