The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell, T.D., today launched the new Garda National Age Card.

The new age card has been introduced to keep a step of technological advances and to ensure that the National Age Card is protected against forgery or alteration.

The National Age Card Scheme, introduced in 1999 and administered by An Garda Síochána, has facilitated the Gardaí, in co-operation with the licensed trade, in addressing and combating the problem of underage drinking. The scheme allows any person who has attained 18 years of age to apply for an age card at their local Garda Station in order to verify that they have attained the legal age for the purchase of alcohol.

Launching the card the Tánaiste stated "The new National Age Card is the culmination of a comprehensive review of the age card scheme undertaken by An Garda Síochána with the intention of introducing a new age card with enhanced security features and processing procedures.

Since the introduction of the age card in 1999 technological advances in home computers, scanners, colour printers, etc, have provided the means for those so inclined to produce fake age cards with relative ease. The new age card has state of the art security features which cannot be fraudulently replicated.

I want to commend An Garda Síochána for its ongoing commitment to the age card scheme which has seen over 250,000 age cards issued to date. Approximately 3,000 of the new cards are being issued today.

It is in the interests of all parties concerned to deal comprehensively and firmly with the problem of underage drinking and I believe that the new National Age Card will be an important and powerful aid in that task."

The card features a high level security hot foil, invisible UV features and embossed characters. The reverse of the card features a magnetic strip containing data relating to the applicant. In addition, the latest generation kinegram has been included on the card. This is an innovative moving image security feature that is manufactured and supplied worldwide to Government projects exclusively. Currently there is no matching technology or method by which this technology can be copied.

The introduction of this new and enhanced card has necessitated a small increase from 6 Euro to 10Euro in the fee for applicants. The Tanaiste has decided that because of the legal requirement for persons between the ages of 18 and 21 years to have in their possession an age document if they are in a licensed premises after 9.00pm, any person under 21 with an old card, who wishes to replace it with the new card, will be provided with one free of charge.

Following a tendering procedure a contract has been awarded to ADC Plasticard, Tallaght, for the production and supply of the new National Age Card.

The age card scheme is being further enhanced by revised application and processing arrangements. ADC Plasticard will handle all elements of the new system and will take responsibility for:

The primary difference from the old system is that once the verification process of the application has been completed by the Gardaí the application form will go directly to the age card contractor, rather than via the Garda Community Relations Section in Harcourt Square as is current practice. This will significantly speed up the entire process and shorten the length of time it takes for an applicant to be issued with an age card.


24 April 2007