Ireland to begin testing new Government Digital Wallet as part of wider EU initiative

A public consultation and testing phase to help shape Ireland's new Government Digital Wallet was announced in Dublin on Friday, April 3.

The digital wallet in Ireland is part of a broader EU-wide move towards an EU Digital Identity Wallet.

The Government Digital Wallet is a "key part" of the Digital Public Service Plan 2030, Ireland's Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation said on Friday.

The Government Digital Wallet is being developed to "provide the public with a quick and easy way" to store important documents, such as digital versions of birth certificates, driving licenses, and European health cards, "safely and securely in a digital wallet on their mobile."

The Department said on Friday: "This will make it much easier to access public services and verify identity both online and in person.

"As well as being a safe and secure way to store documents, it will reduce the need to repeat the same information to different government departments and make everyday interactions with government departments more seamless."

The Department separately added: "The government will not track or record any data that is stored in the Digital Wallet. The user is the only person who can see their data, which is securely stored locally on their mobile phone."

The next phase of the Government Digital Wallet is a consultation with the public and other key stakeholders to inform its development, as well as testing of the wallet with the public on an opt-in basis, commencing shortly.

The consultation and testing are "critical" to deliver a Digital Wallet that is "designed to satisfy user needs and expectations, and that meets Ireland’s legal obligations under the European Union's eIDAS 2 Regulation," the Department said on Friday.

According to the Department, this Regulation mandates that all EU Member States must make available a Digital Wallet by the end of 2026. In Ireland, the legislative work is being led by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport (DCCS), and, together with colleagues from DPER and the Department of Social Protection (DSP), work is ongoing on this element of the project.

Ireland's Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (DPER) Jack Chambers and Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Frank Feighan, both said they were delighted to launch the public consultation and opt-in testing on Friday.

Minister Chambers said the Digital Wallet will "make it simpler for people to verify their identity, apply for supports, and access entitlements."

He continued: “The Wallet is designed so that all personal data is fully protected, and the user stays in control of what information they put in the Wallet and choose to share. Only the details needed for a service will be shared, and nothing more.

“Big life events, such as having a baby, moving home, or starting a new job, often require dealing with several different public service providers. The Digital Wallet aims to reduce that administrative burden, making it easier, faster, and more secure to access the supports people need.

“This testing and consultation phase is an important step in building a digital wallet that genuinely works for people. We want to hear the public’s ideas, concerns, and expectations. The public’s feedback will directly shape how the wallet looks, how it works, and how it supports everyday life.”

Minister Feighan added: “The Digital Wallet will be a crucial element of the government’s overall portfolio of digital services, allowing users to access a range of government-issued documents digitally, saving time while providing a secure place to store important documents.

"It will be able to facilitate secure age verification capability as set out in Digital Ireland and the implementation of the Online Safety Code, under which designated platforms must have age verification measures in place to help protect, in particular, children and young people from online harm.

"Importantly, this testing phase will inform the development of the Digital Wallet, ensuring that the public find it user-friendly and that it is delivered to the highest standard in a way the public can trust.”

As part of the initial phase of the consultation, members of the public can have their say and register to be part of the testing phase at gov.ie/DigitalWallet. This page will remain live for the foreseeable future, and the Department will provide further updates through the campaign page and via its social media and other channels in the coming weeks and months.