Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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1596. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason Irish Water has requested customers' PPS numbers in their recently released application packs; the purpose this sensitive information will be used for; the implication for applications returned without this information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34658/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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In advance of the introduction of domestic water charges, the Government made certain decisions on 6 May 2014 relating to the structure of water charges including, inter alia, a free allowance per household and an additional free allowance for children on the same qualifying conditions as the Child Benefit payment from the Department of Social Protection.

As these allowances are to be funded by Government, Irish Water needs to ensure it has the appropriate and sufficient information to reflect these entitlements. The Personal Public Services (PPS) Numbers will be used by Irish Water to ensure that each household receives the free allowance it is entitled to, as well as any additional allowance for children in receipt of Child Benefit at that address. It will also facilitate Irish Water in providing reduced charges to owners who have unoccupied dwellings.

The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has recently completed a public consultation on a draft water charges plan which sets out the position if customers do not validate. In their proposals, a default charge will be applied to customers without allowances. The CER will finalise the water charges plan shortly taking account of the public consultation.

Irish Water is a specified body under section 20 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2014 and is therefore permitted to request PPS numbers to authenticate the identity of the person being provided with an allowance. Irish Water will treat applicants’ personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003.