Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 295: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of PPS numbers that are in existence that are in full operation by the Department of Social Protection and have not been registered with the Revenue Commissioners; if she will explain the background to this situation and the contact that has been made between both organisations to ensure that persons with a PPS number are registered with both organisations; the protocols involved to ensure this happens and the full details in relation to the background of the way in which this matter is processed; if he will ensure that all PPS numbers are registered with both organisations in future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15739/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Personal Public Service Number (PPS Number) is the individual's unique reference number for all dealings with Government Departments and public bodies. Section 262 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005 as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Public Service Identity Dataset of which the PPS Number is one element. A PPS Number is automatically issued in the case of children born in Ireland. In other cases application must be made in person at one of the Department's designated PPS Number registration centres. PPS Numbers are issued following a controlled allocation procedure, involving a personal attendance at the registration centre, the completion of a written application form, the submission of appropriate identity documents and the proving of identity.

Only Government Departments or public bodies authorised in legislation, (or their agents) can use the PPS Number as a personal identifier. A body or agency authorised to use the PPS Number, such as the Revenue Commissioners, is known as a 'specified body'.

PPS Numbers are made available to specified bodies in a number of ways:

- Directly by the Department such as in response to specific data validation requests. During 2011, the Department processed a total of 597,562 PPS Number matching and validation requests from other Public Service Departments and Agencies,

- By individuals when they are attempting to access a public service, and

- Through the Single Customer View (SCV). This is a new piece of technical infrastructure that, at its simplest, matches and verifies Public Service Identity information, including PPS Numbers, from across the public service. The SCV is operated by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on behalf of the Department of Social Protection who is the controller of the data.

Specifically, in relation to the Revenue Commissioners, while they have access to the Department's PPS Number information, their policy is to only include someone on the tax register when they register for tax for the first time which for most people is when they start in their first employment. Since 1997, Revenue have forwarded a weekly file of individuals who commenced employment to the Department. Information on this file is used to check that social welfare clients, who have recently started working, have informed the Department and/or sign off claims, to ensure overpayments do not occur.