Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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80. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that women who received a W number upon becoming married in the past are not being issued with public service cards and are instead told they must apply for a new PPS number; the reason there is no warning in respect of same when persons apply for a card, leaving them waiting until they contact her Department; and if these new PPS numbers are automatically supplied to the Revenue Commissioners in order that there is no confusion in regards to credits or other such matters. [61242/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Historically, when some women got married they were allocated a Revenue and Social Insurance Number (RSI Number) which was linked to their husband’s RSI Number.These linked numbers (Level W numbers) were issued by the Revenue Commissioners so that they could identify spouses in a jointly assessed relationship. The Level W number was generated by adding a W to the RSI number of the husband’s RSI Number.

The Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) was introduced in the Social Welfare Act 1998, replacing the RSI Number, and my Department was given legislative responsibility for allocating and managing these new numbers. In practice, the RSI numbers in existence were retained and became PPSNs, including “Level W” numbers. In other words, "Level W" numbers are PPSNs in their own right and it is not the case that any person's PPSN is linked with another person.

The practice of allocating “Level W” numbers to married women ceased from 1999. However, it was decided, at that stage, not to ask all individuals with “Level W” numbers to change them until there was an actual need to do so. 

It is the case that the Office of the Revenue Commissioners request people with “Level W” numbers to change them once they need to engage with them on taxation matters.

The process of replacing a “Level W” number is relatively straightforward and there is no need for the person to attend any office or to queue for service.  As part of the process, my Department verifies the identity of the individual, purges the existing number and replaces it with either a new number or one that the individual may have had prior to marriage.  In addition, all pre-existing records relating to that individual are transferred over to the new number. 

Once completed, a letter issues to the individual at their home address, advising of the new PPSN. The Revenue Comissionners are also advised of the new number. Once received, the notification of the new PPSN should be presented to Revenue to allow the new PPSN to be registered for tax purposes.

This process is carried out by staff of the Client Identity Services (CIS) section of my Department who can be contacted by phone at LoCall  0818 927 999 or 071 967 2616 or by email at cis.purges@welfare.ie

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.