Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 90: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a grant (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [29231/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department offers assistance towards the purchase of hearing aids to customers (and their dependant spouse/partner) who meet certain PRSI conditions. The precise conditions vary with age, but customers aged over 66 must (among other conditions) have either 39 weeks reckonable PRSI paid or credited in either of the last two tax years before their 66th birthday; or 39 weeks reckonable PRSI paid or credited in the last tax year before their 60th birthday. In this context, it should be noted that only PRSI paid at class A, E, H, or P counts towards this benefit. According to the Department's records, the person concerned has no reckonable contributions paid in the relevant years so neither they nor their spouse qualify for this benefit. However, if they are medical card holders they should be entitled to assistance under the similar Department of Health scheme. Their local HSE office will be able to advise them of the benefits available.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there was an error in the production of dockets for a number of persons in receipt of jobseeker's benefit or jobseeker's allowance; if she will investigate the way it happened; the number of persons affected by the error; if the Data Protection Commissioner has been informed; and if, in view of the concerns expressed by some of the persons who have received dockets belonging to another and whose dockets were also sent to another, the persons involved will be offered the option of an alternative PPS number. [29240/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Signing dockets are issued in groups of four dockets to certain Job Seeker customers who have part-time employment. The customer is required to enter details of their employment for each week and to return them to their local office in order that the correct payment may be made. Approximately 1.2 million dockets are issued per annum.

On 28th September last an operator error occurred in the production of a batch of dockets as a result of which customers instead of receiving four of their own dockets, received two of their own dockets and two dockets belonging to another customer. The dockets displayed the customer's PPS Number, name and address details and Local Office signing location. As a consequence, a total of nine hundred and ninety four customers received the details of one other customer and also had their details sent to one other customer. The Data Protection Commissioner was notified of the incident immediately. All customers affected were contacted by my Department and supplied with replacement dockets and were also asked to destroy the dockets that were sent to them in error.

My Department takes its responsibilities as the custodian of customer information very seriously. We are committed to implementing the highest standards of data protection in respect of the information entrusted to us and following this incident my Department has further tightened its print production procedures to prevent a recurrence. My Department will write to the individuals affected to offer those who have particular concerns the option of a replacement PPS Number.