Biometrics is a far superior method of confirming identity compared to other less technically advanced systems, such as tokens (something one possesses such as a swipe card) or passwords (something one knows). Tokens and passwords cannot ensure positive identification of a person as they are inherantly transferable. Tokens are routinely counterfeited and stolen. Passwords are routinely forgotten, left in plain sight, and stolen. Unlike tokens or passwords, biometric identifiers are inextricably linked to a person and therefore cannot be forgotten, counterfeited, or stolen.

Biometrics can also help protect privacy by creating a barrier between personal data and unauthorized access. Technically, biometric capture devices create electronic digital templates that are encrypted and stored and then compared to encrypted templates derived from "live" images in order to confirm the identity of a person. The templates are generated from complex and proprietary algorithms and are then encrypted using strong cryptographic algorithms to secure and protect them from disclosure. Thus, standing alone, biometric templates cannot be reconstructed, decrypted, reverse-engineered, or otherwise manipulated to reveal a person's identity. In short, biometrics can be thought of as a very secure key: unless a biometric gate is unlocked by using the right key, no one can gain access to a person's identity.

To find out more information about a specific type of biometric technology available in Ireland, please click on the "Applications for Biometrics" link at the top of the page.