Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of PPS numbers that are in existence that have not been registered with the Revenue Commissioners and are in full operation by the Department of Social Protection; if he 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 of 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 he will make a statement on the matter. [15738/12]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that Personal Public Service Numbers (PPS Numbers) are issued automatically by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to children born in Ireland and otherwise on application to the DSP. The PPS Number is required by the Commissioners to register an individual for tax purposes and is sought on all tax registration forms. It does not automatically follow that a person who receives a PPS Number from the DSP also needs it for tax registration purposes and consequently Revenue does not require an update of all PPS Numbers issued by the DSP. The Revenue Commissioners further advise that creating a record within Revenue's systems for every PPS Number issued would not be the most efficient use of limited processing resources, would give rise to a significant maintenance overhead and would bring a cohort of people into their systems who have no tax risks at all, and are not likely to have any such risks for a number of years. The Commissioners are also satisfied that the fact they have access to the Department of Social Protection's PPS Number information meets their requirements in that regard. On the basis of the explanations provided, I am satisfied that the data exchange and access arrangements currently in place for PPS Numbers are working well and I do not see that there are any advantages to be gained by changing these.