Ireland digital wallet consultation closes, government moves to pilot stage

The government of Ireland is expressing confidence in its digital transformation initiative, having wrapped the public consultation on its digital wallet. In a post on LinkedIn, Louise McKeever, chief information officer at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (DPER), says the government is now moving into the pilot phase of its wallet rollout.

Per the DPER website, testing “will help stress-test the infrastructure and the support mechanisms for the Digital Wallet.

“Testing is critical to supporting the development of the Government Digital Wallet program. It will educate the public and other stakeholders on the value, safety and workings of the wallet. It will also give people an opportunity to contribute to the final design and the prioritization of future credentials.”

Digital identity is popular in Ireland, where close to eight in 10 people now use a digital ID to access essential services.

Wallet aims to simplify big life changes

Ireland is pursuing an ambitious digital transformation plan, with a target of 2030 to digitize 100 percent of key digital public services. The wallet is an essential part of that plan, offering a novel framework organized around major life milestones.

“Big life events such as having a baby or the death of a loved one can be very busy and emotionally demanding,” says DPER’s website. “Navigating administrative procedures should be as easy as possible so that people can concentrate on what matters most to them.”

The end of 2026 is the deadline for EU Member States to provide a digital wallet for their citizens under the EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) scheme and eIDAS 2.0 regulation. Ireland is on track to meet the deadline, while other nations find themselves at different stages of preparedness.

This week, Romania appeared to pivot from an earlier position in adopting Germany’s wallet as the foundation for its own national digital ID wallet.

Article Topics

digital wallets  |  EU Digital Identity Wallet  |  Ireland  |  Ireland Government Digital Wallet