Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

What the Tánaiste has said is very interesting, especially against the background of the information divulged by my colleague, Deputy Willie O'Dea, who has accessed the Department's staff bulletin board. Some entries indicate that staff within the Department have expressed serious concerns about the use of PPS numbers. They expressed doubt about the legal basis of Irish Water checking numbers. They were uneasy about the conflict with their duty to protect members of the public. Staff also expressed concern about the lack of information on the issue. Some staff have gone as far as to say they would be reluctant to provide their PPS numbers in such circumstances.

The Minister has come here and expressed satisfaction. Are we to take it that, although the Minister and the chief executive of Irish Water have apologised and the Taoiseach has said that not everything that should have been done was done and the entire matter has not been handled very well, the Minister is perfectly happy with the manner in which the PPS issue has been handled in the Irish Water debacle?

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