From 9 April 2018, which is only a few weeks away, one must have a public services card in order to renew one's driver licence. One must arrange an appointment with the social welfare office in order to get the card. That will be an impossibility for people in places such as Glencar, Sneem, Castlecove, Lauragh and Tuosist. We are told that to get a public services card one must have a current driver's licence or passport or else one can get it otherwise online. The trouble is that in the places I have mentioned there is no line other than a clothes line. It is a fact that there is no broadband. It is a day's work to leave Glencar or Sneem and go to Kenmare, and one must have an appointment arranged. It is absolutely ridiculous. Heretofore, the Garda could give one an ML10 form-----

We are out of time so we will try to get an answer for the Deputy.

-----and that would have been accepted. Will the Tánaiste extend the deadline of 9 April 2018 to allow people more time to get their public services card?

I thank the Deputy.

Otherwise, the Government will have to send mobile units around the county of Kerry so that people can get their public services card or else they will not get a driver licence.

Freagair an cheist.

I need to consider the deadline and the significance of it.

The thinking behind a public services card is to make sure we make accessing services easier for people, not more difficult. Once people go to the trouble of getting the public services card, which I know for some may involve travelling, it will allow them access multiple services across the State, including getting passports renewed, driver licences and so on. It is in the interest of everybody to get a public services card so that they can fast-track their application for the other services they seek.

Regarding the deadline the Deputy referred to, I will come back to him on that.

The next thing is we will be putting tags on people's ears like the cattle.