263.—F1560[(1) The Minister may F1561[, subject to subsection (1C),] issue a card (in this Act referred to as a ‘public services card’) to a person in such form as the Minister considers fit for the purposes of carrying out a transaction.]

F1562[(1A) Where a public services card is issued to a person the following information shall be inscribed on it:

(a) the name of that person;

(b) the personal public service number of that person;

(c) a photograph of that person;

(d) the signature of that person;

(e) the issue number of the public services card;

(f) the expiry date of the public services card;

(g) such other information (if any) as may be prescribed by the Minister.

(1B) A public services card shall in addition to the information referred to in subsection (1A) contain the following information which shall be in non-legible form and be capable of being recovered by electronic means:

(a) the name of that person;

(b) the personal public service number of that person;

(c) the date of birth of that person;

(d) the place of birth of that person;

(e) the sex of that person;

(f) the nationality of that person;

(g) all former surnames (if any) of that person;

(h) all former surnames (if any) of the mother of that person;

(i) a photograph of that person;

(j) the signature of that person;

(k) the issue number of the public services card;

(l) the expiry date of the public services card;

(m) such other information (if any) as may be prescribed by the Minister.]

F1563[(1C) The Minister shall not issue a public services card to a person unless the Minister is satisfied as to the identity of the person to whom such card is to be issued.]

[1998 s14(1)]

(2) A person may, on request in that behalf to the Minister, obtain within 28 days of that request, where practicable, information which is electronically encoded on his or her F1559[public services card].

[1998 s14(1)]

(3) A person shall produce his or her F1559[public services card] at the request of a specified body for the purposes of a transaction.

[1998 s14(1)]

(4) A person who uses or attempts to use a F1559[public services card] or seeks to have a F1559[public services card] produced to him or her, other than—

(a) the person who is the holder of the card or a person appointed to act on behalf of the cardholder,

(b) a specified body, for the purposes of a transaction, or

(c) a person who has a transaction with a specified body where the personal public service number on the card is relevant to the transaction between that person and the specified body,

is guilty of an offence.