Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 274: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the problems that persons are having in seeking to obtain a PPS number in County Kildare due to a change in procedure that the applicant must now apply to the Newbridge office instead of the local offices; the reason these changes are being made; if a review of the procedure will take place to ensure that applicants are not having delays in obtaining payments due to the changes made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8085/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The majority of Irish citizens now have a PPS number and since the modernisation of civil registration in 2003, all children born in the Republic of Ireland are automatically issued with a PPS number following the registration of the birth. The Department has, for some time, been encountering attempted abuses of the PPS registration process. In order to combat fraudulent activity of this nature, the number of outlets for the allocation of PPS numbers is being rationalised to one centralised location per County. To date 13 centres have been established outside Dublin and Newbridge is the centre for customers in County Kildare. Acquiring a PPS number is a once in a lifetime event. The PPS number is a main personal identifier and the key to access a broad range of services. It is not therefore unreasonable that a customer attends a dedicated centre on a once off basis for this purpose.

There is a considerable element of flexibility in the new arrangements, which allow customers attend the nearest or the most convenient centre to their place of residence. The quality of the service is not affected any way by these arrangements.