Galway County Council (Register of Users)
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
Galway County Council
Updated: August 2019
Yes.
The various sections / departments of the Council use PPS numbers as set out below:
The Finance Department use the PPS Number
Payroll:
Payroll section use PPS numbers for Tax/PRSI deductions and for liaising with the Revenue Commissioners. PPS numbers are also used when returning the annual P35 Return which is a statutory requirement.
Accounts Payable:
Supplier Setup Forms. PPS Number is required in order to set up suppliers for the processing of payments.
• S.891B Return sent to Revenue Commissioners identifying payments to third parties - PPS numbers are used in this file where no Vat number has been supplied by supplier also used in the PSWT (Professional Services Withholding Tax) Return.
• Creditor Payments – If a payee can't provide a VAT number or Tax Registered Number, the Council requests the PPS Number. This is included on its statutory annual S891b Return to the Revenue Commissioners.
NPPR Charge:
Residential property owners are required to provide their PPS Numbers in order to register and pay the NPPR charge. This can be done online at www.nppr.ie or on the Registration Form which can be sent to either the NPPR Bureau or the Council. The NPPR Charge is statutory and is governed by the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 as amended by the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011.
Commercial Rates:
In the case where there is a change of ownership in a commercial property in accordance with Section 32 of the LG Reform Act 2014- the new owner is requested to provide either the Tax Number or the PPS number for identification purpose.
Housing Loans:
The Council is required by the Credit Reporting Act 2013 to provide details of housing loans including the applicant’s PPS Number to the Central Credit Register -which is controlled by the Central Bank. Applicants wishing to apply for the MARP Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process are required to provide their PPS Number on the application form. This is in accordance with the Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears devised by the Central Bank under Section 117 of Central Bank Act 1989.
Housing Rents:
The Council is required to provide the PPS Numbers of Tenants who wish to pay their rent through the Household Deduction Scheme operated by An Post. This was set up by the Social Welfare Act 2012.
The Human Resources Department use PPS Numbers:
To set up all members of staff and elected County Councillors on the CORE HPSS Computer System, shared with MyPay under a Service Level Agreement, to facilitate the payment of Wages; Salaries; Pensions and Gratuities.
When requesting information from other local authorities/public bodies in respect of a new staff member's previous employment in respect of incremental credit and reckonable service details.
When requested by employees to complete forms where the PPS Number is required, such as, Department of Social Protection generated forms.
The Housing Department use PPS Numbers:
At present the PPS number is collected in respect of applications being made to the Local Authority for various services such as housing loans and housing grants schemes, applications for social housing support, rental accommodation scheme (landlords and tenants), etc.
Under the Credit Reporting Act 2013, from July 1st 2017 Local Authorities are required to collect the PPSN of all applicants to a consumer credit agreement.
The Roads Department use the PPS Number:
CES employee setup for new recruits for CES (Community Employment Scheme).
The Law Agents Department use the PPS Number:
We are required to use PPS Numbers for Revenue Stamp Duty Returns on Deeds of Transfer. The Deed must be certified by the Revenue Commissioners as being exempt from Stamp Duty liability or the requisite payment having been made. We also require/use PPSN for filing of tax returns for CPOs and interest payments.
The Water Services Department use the PPS Number:
We use the number to check if an applicant has previously received a well grant in the last 7 years.
The Corporate Services Department use the PPS Number:
The Casual Trading Licence Application Form has a field where the Applicant inserts their PPS Number. We do not use the PPSN numbers for any purpose except to complete the required Annual Return in respect of Casual Trading Licences for the Revenue Commissioners.
The Community, Enterprise and Economic Development Department use the PPS Number:
In general, we do not request PPSN numbers as for instance the suppliers we work with (mostly groups) have tax/charity numbers and only in an instance where there is no tax or charity number is the PPSN requested.
In relation to individuals the Galway Sports Partnership (GSP) for example use PPS numbers from individual tutors that may do courses for them in the event that they do not have a tax reference number/vat/charity no, in order to get them set up on the LA’s financial system so we can pay their invoices and for payment of grants, information forwarded to Finance for payments only.
Rural Development use the PPS Number for:
The PPS number of participants of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) from January 2018 will be collected by Galway Rural Development (GRD) who deliver the scheme on behalf of the Local Authority. The PPS number will be requested for a number of reasons, including to register on the programme, for referrals to the programme from other bodies, and for programme evaluation purposes.
The Motor Tax Department use the PPS Number for:
For eligibility for taxing a commercial vehicle at the commercial rate for the 1st time, an employee of a company who uses the vehicle exclusively in the course of his employment is required to confirm their PPS number. This submission is part of completing the motor tax assessment class eligibility requirements.
The Environment Department use the PPS no for:
Applications for grants in relation to works to be carried out to Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems require the customer to supply proof of level of income (copy of P21 or income statement) which contains the customer’s PPSN.
The Local Enterprise Office Galway use the PPS Number:
We request PPS numbers when making grant payments and the grantee has no VAT number or tax reference number. This only happens on a very rare occasion.
When we receive supplier set up forms if the person requesting to be set up on agresso payment system does not have a VAT or tax reference number they insert their PPS number instead.
We also request copy of payslips for new employees when we are processing employment grant claims where new employees PPS numbers are on the payslips and filed in our office.
Yes, Galway County Council exchange PPS number information with various relevant bodies as set out below:
The Finance Department:
Revenue Commissioners, MyPay Payroll Shared Service, NPPR Bureau (LGMA), Central Bank, An Post. Purpose of the exchange is in accordance with statutory requirements.
The Human Resources Department:
MyPay Shared Service to process Payroll and Superannuation on behalf of Galway County Council under Service Level Agreement.
When requesting information from other local authorities/public bodies in respect of a new staff member's previous employment in respect of incremental credit and reckonable service.
Department of Social Protection.
The Housing Department:
PPS numbers are shared with the Department of Social Protection to confirm details of Social Welfare payments received by applicants/tenants for the purposes of accurately assessing rent.
The PPS number of Housing applicants is exchanged with the Department of the Housing, Planning and Local Government and neighbouring Local Authorities to ensure duplication is minimised in the provision of social housing.
The PPS number of Housing applicants and tenants is exchanged with the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) upon receipt of authorisation from the persons in question.
In some cases the PPS number of Housing applicants and tenants may be exchanged with the Health Services Executive for the purpose of client identification and to ensure benefit or grant fraud is minimised.
The PPS number of Housing loan recipients is exchanged with the Revenue Commissioners for Tax Relief at Source purposes.
Landlord PPS numbers are given to Revenue annually, under procedures required under the Rental Accommodation and Social Leasing Schemes.
In Short Term Leasing PPS numbers of tenants are on leases which are shared with landlords.
HAP: PPS numbers are used by Shared Services through Sugar CRM system.
Local Authorities are legally obliged to report to the Central Credit Register (CCR) and the data supplied will be shared with the Central Credit Register.
The Roads Department:
PPS Number is checked with the Dept. of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to see if the relevant person was eligible to enter a CES (Community Employment Scheme).
The Law Agents Department:
We only exchange the PPS Number with Revenue (Stamping of Deed & Verification of Tax Clearance) and the Property Registration Authority thereafter having initially received same from the solicitors for the Purchaser/Vendor. The PPSN is on the Certificate issued from Revenue after presenting the Deed and is attached thereto and forwarded to the PRA for registration.
The Water Services Department:
Yes, the PPS Number is sent to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government to make a similar check and also as part of the recoupment claim.
The Corporate Services Department:
Yes, we prepare an Annual Return for the Revenue Commissioners giving each Casual Trading Licence holders Name, Address, PPS No., Trading Location, Period of the Casual Trading Licence. This is requested by the Revenue Commissioners annually.
Rural Development:
No. We would have no obligation in a case where GRD shared PPSN numbers with an external/3rd party notwithstanding that GRD deliver the scheme on behalf of the Local Authority.
The Local Enterprise Office Galway:
No. We never exchange PPS numbers with any external body.
Other Relevant bodies
Revenue Commissioners
Other local authorities/HSE other public bodies e.g. Civil Service
www.welfare.ie
Department of the Housing, Planning and Local Government.
Health Service Executive(HSE)
National NVDF database
Department of Education
NPPR Bureau.
To continue using PPS numbers as outlined above by the various departments of Galway County Council.
The Human Resources Department:
To ensure applicants for employment have work permits in the Republic of Ireland.
To set up all members of staff and elected members of Galway County Council on the CORE HPSS Computer System to facilitate the payment of Wages; Salaries; Pensions Gratuities.
When requesting information from other local authorities/public bodies in respect of a new staff member's previous employment in respect of incremental credit and reckonable service details.
When requested by employees to complete various forms where the PPS Number is required, such as, Department of Social Protection generated forms.
Process it lawfully, fairly, and in a transparent manner;
Collect it only for one or more specified, explicit and legitimate purposes, and do not otherwise use it in a way that is incompatible with those purposes;
Ensure it is adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for the purpose it is processed;
Keep it accurate and up-to-date and erase or rectify any inaccurate data without delay;
Where it is kept in a way that allows you to identify who the data is about, retain it for no longer than is necessary;
Keep it secure by using appropriate technical and/or organisational security measures;
Be able to demonstrate your compliance with the above principles; and
Respond to requests by individuals seeking to exercise their data protection rights (for example the right of access
Yes. Galway County Council have measures in place to ensure that PPS numbers (and associated data) are secure and accessible and processed only for the purpose for which the data has been provided.
The Finance Department: Supplier details are all held on AGRESSO (Financial Software) within the Accounts Payable section. Supplier setups on Agresso which include PPS numbers can only be accessed by authorised staff who are given access to the particular area within Agresso. Any PPSN information where relevant is included on the supplier set up forms forwarded to Finance with electronic copies usually kept on in a folder on the server/s. Access to servers is managed by IT and strictly limited access provided.
S.891B is generated automatically and transmitted to Revenue via electronic means, no hard copy printed. Copy kept in the shares drive and file is password protected.
Payroll - PPS numbers kept on Core (National Core Electronic System which meets all the data control system requirements). Can only be accessed by those that have passwords.
NPPR: PPS Numbers are located on the NPPR Database which is controlled by the NPPR Bureau. Access is provided to authorized staff only who have passwords.
The PPS Numbers in regard to Housing Loans, Rents and Rates are kept in electronic form and can only be accessed by individual authorized staff with passwords.
The Human Resource Department:
Yes, Employment Information Records which hold Personal Data is held on Personal Files stored either in the HR Department or in a File Storage Facility as contracted by Galway County Council and PPS Numbers are recorded in the HPSS Computer System through the National Core Electronic System which meets all the data control system requirements.
The Roads Department: records of PPSN are kept in a secure cabinet and separate to working day to day file in relation to the CE Scheme.
The Corporate Services Department: The Annual Return is transferred to the Revenue Commissioners through their secure online facility. Corporate Services destroy the Application Forms and all associated documentation for Casual Trading Licences in line with our Records Retention Policy.
The Community, Enterprise and Economic Development Department use the PPS Number:
Yes, the forms are shredded or placed in the confidential bin once they are scanned or posted into Finance. The forms are locked in a safe location if we are awaiting an additional piece of information before sending them to Finance.
The Local Enterprise Office Galway: Yes. Local Enterprise Office Galway have measures in place to ensure that PPS numbers (and associated data) are secure and accessible and processed only for the purpose for which the data has been provided.