Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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269. To ask the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details below) will receive a response to their application for a PPS number; and if she will expedite an answer. [52844/13]

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.

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. This is the case in respect of the application referred to by the Deputy.

The Department processes some 17,000 of these applications annually. 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. Apart from these, requests are dealt with in the date order in which they are received. It normally takes between 3-4 weeks to finalise the allocation of such PPS Numbers. 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.

The application referred to was received in my Department on the 18^th of November and a PPS Number was allocated on the 4^th of December.