Written answers

Tuesday, 7 May 2013

Department of Social Protection

Personal Public Service Numbers

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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217. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason the delays in the issuing of PPS numbers, which is now taking between 10 and 12 weeks, causing enormous problems for staff in new employment who are paying emergency tax forcing them in some incidences to have to leave their employment and the measures she proposes to deal with this backlog. [21353/13]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan 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.

A PPS Number is automatically issued in the case of children born in Ireland. In other cases PPS Numbers are issued following a controlled allocation procedure which takes approximately 20 minutes and involves personal attendance at one of the Department's PPS Number allocation centres, the completion of a written application form, the submission of appropriate identity documents and the proving of identity.

In circumstances where a person is not resident in the State, but requires a PPS Number, s/he, or someone acting on his or her behalf, must apply by post to the Department submitting the required documentation. The Department processes some 17,000 of these applications annually. Due to an increase in the numbers of such requests received, there is at present a seven to eight week backlog in allocating PPS Numbers for such applications. Staff resources have been temporarily re-assigned to this work in order to reduce this.

The vast majority of such requests are for reasons such as probate or property purchase. However some requests are from individuals who are employed outside of the State by an Irish employer and require a PPS Number in that context. Where these requests are identified, they are given priority by the Department. In all cases, once it becomes apparent that a person will require the allocation of a PPS Number, I would urge that the application be submitted immediately, rather than waiting until the last minute, in order to ensure that it will be available when required.

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