Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 47 allows the NTMA to use the personal public service number, PPSN, for the purpose of managing the Government's retail personal savings products, which are marketed under the State savings brand and which are part of Exchequer borrowing. It arises from a request by the NTMA to be allowed to collect and use a customer's PPSN and to use the associated public service card for the purpose of administering the State savings products - savings certificates, savings bonds, national instalment savings, national solidarity bonds and deposit accounts. The NTMA proposes to use the PPSN as a unique identifier for the holders of State savings products and to use the public service card to authenticate identity and facilitate certain types of transactions in respect of State savings products. They are concerned to have such a system of unique identifiers for their customers, not only for efficient record-keeping but also because there are statutory limits on individual holdings of certain State savings products and requirements to be able to identify individuals for the purpose of the EU savings directive and anti-money laundering rules. The alternative of creating a stand-alone system of unique identification would be inefficient in that it would duplicate the existing arrangements which use the PPSN as the unique identifier and would be costly and a waste of money to the Exchequer.

The Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 envisages the PPSN being used by numerous bodies other than the Department of Social Protection. For example, the RSA is a specified body in Schedule 5 of the 2005 Act as the PPSN and associated information is relevant to its driving licence functions. Access to PPSNs has also been extended to a number of public bodies and credit institutions under the Credit Reporting Act 2013 for the purposes of its provisions. It is proposed, therefore, to amend Schedule 5 to the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 to include the NTMA as a specified body for the purposes of that legislation.

Amendment of the Long Title of the Bill is required by way of amendment No. 53 to take account of the amendments to the State Authorities (Public Private Partnership Arrangements) Act 2002 and the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 provided for in amendments Nos. 46 and 47.