Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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537. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the fact that there is a six week or more delay on the processing of PPSN applications with some applications backlogged since March 2020. [25366/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The SAFE registration process, which my Department uses to authenticate a person's identity when they apply for a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN), is a face- to-face process.

At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, my Department temporarily postponed the SAFE registration process. This decision was taken to comply with HSE and WHO guidelines in respect of social distancing.

To help ensure that those who required a PPSN could get one, my Department introduced an email and postal service through which applications could be made. The area of my Department that processes these applications is currently dealing with high volumes of applications received. By its nature this process involves, in most cases, correspondence with the customer which may lead to delays - for example, where there is a delay in receiving documents required.

I am happy to confirm that the SAFE registration service has now resumed in most Intreo Centres and Branch Offices, for those who already have a PPSN and wish to obtain a Public Services Card and I expect that the PPSN application service will be fully resumed in my Department's network of offices over the coming weeks.

In the meantime, any person who wishes to talk to someone about their application for a PPSN can call my Department on LoCall 1890 927 999.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.