Identity document
Other forms of officially accepted identification include the driver's license and the birth certificate. However, these are accepted only in limited circumstances and cannot take the place of the ID Card in most cases. The ID Card is mandatory for dealing with government institutions, banks or currency exchange shops. A valid passport may also be accepted, but usually only for foreigners.
Identity document
Ireland issues a "Public Services Card" which are useful when identification is needed for contacts regarding welfare and public services. They have photos but not birth dates and are therefore not accepted by banks. The card is also not considered as being an ID card by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP). In a Oireachtas committee hearing held on February 22, 2018, Tim Duggan of that department stated "A national ID card is an entirely different idea. People are generally compelled to carry (such a card)."