Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress that has been made in relation to the programme for Government promise to integrate the tax and social welfare systems fully to allow for more efficient data and money transfer mechanisms and provide for a fully integrated PPS system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12203/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Department has taken a lead role over the years in developing and implementing identity management policies and procedures based on the use of the Personal Public Services (PPS) number. This number was previously known as the Revenue and Social Insurance (RSI) number. The name was changed to indicate the broadening of its role to one which supports delivery of a broader range of public services, but it is also still used for its original core purpose of providing a common identifier for the Revenue Commissioners and this Department.

As well as facilitating wider-scale exchange of information, the PPS number also has a role in the development of on-line services for individuals. The Department provides identity related services to a number of agencies in accordance with legislation. Building on these services, the Department constructed Public Service Identity (PSI) services to assist agencies in basic on-line identity management. The initial deployment of PSI services, through the Reach agency, supports the registration and authentication functions of the Revenue Commissioners PAYE on-line services.

The overall Government strategy is to realise the potential of the Information Society through innovation and modernisation of public services. As part of this, the Standard Authentication Framework Environment (SAFE) programme, co-chaired by the Department and the Department of Finance, builds on PSI Services to provide the basis for a consistent set of registration and authentication services for customer interaction with public services.

The Revenue Commissioners are also participating in this programme of work and the Department will continue to develop PSI and other relevant services in conjunction with them. The Department and the Revenue Commissioners are currently finalising a renewed Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations concerning co-operation and mutual assistance. The objective of the Memorandum is

to provide a basis for the continuance, enhancement and expansion of the existing administrative and operational arrangements

to better reflect the missions, modern operating realities and totality of the relationship between the two organisations

to recognise the growing interdependencies between the two organisations in achieving the delivery of services to the highest standard

to strengthen liaison structures with a view to monitoring service delivery and control aspects

While it had been planned to finalise the memorandum by the end of 2007, the work of completing the document is now drawing to a close and it is expected the memorandum will be finalised within the coming weeks.

The Department will continue to explore on the basis of the ongoing developments how greater data and money transfer efficiencies could be realised in the future.