Department of Defence (Register of Users)

Updated: August 2015

Yes.

It is used as an integral part of the Human Resource Management System (HRMS) and the payroll system for departmental staff, Civilian Employees, and Defence Forces personnel. It is also recorded on various forms on personal files held in Human Resources Branches. Its main use would be as an identification reference within these systems.

The PPS Number is exchanged with other government departments, predominantly:

• Department of Social Protection
• Financial Institutions
• Revenue Commissioners
• Paymaster General
• Passport Office at Department of Foreign Affairs
• PeoplePoint, the HR Leave and Pensions Shared Service

The main purpose of exchange of the PPSN to the above is:

• as identification reference when contacting the Department of Social Protection concerning disability deductions; maternity deductions; occupational injuries claims; etc., and it is entered on DSFA Medical Certificates when used. As the PPS Number is an integral part of the HRMS and payroll system it would be passed to another department on the transfer of an individual Civil Servant
• the PPS Number would be exchanged (indirectly) with financial institutions, as it is normally required to be included on "Certificates of Income" statements which are regularly requested by members of staff for forwarding by them to the Financial Institution
• as identification reference when contacting the Office of the Revenue Commissioners in connection with PAYE and PRSI matters.
• as identification reference when submitting pension form/instructions to Paymaster General's Office in respect of Civil Servants and Civilian Employees.
• included on the Passport Application form for Official Passports
• in dealings with PeoplePoint the PPSN is one of the main staff identifiers

There are currently no plans to extend the use of PPS Numbers in this area of the department.

The Department of Defence administers the Defence Forces Pensions Schemes, and the replies in this regard are as follows:

Yes.

It is used as an integral part of the Pension Payroll System, as an identification reference. It is used for identification of deceased Defence Forces (DF) pension cases by matching PPS Numbers against a file of deceased cases from the Department ofSocial Protection and the obtaining of date of death and next of kin details from DEASP.

Checking with DEASP as to whether DF pensioners are in receipt of retirement pension or Contributory Old Age Pension (COAP) as entitlement to additional increment in pension cases.

As identification reference when contacting the Office of the Revenue Commissioners in connection with PAYE and PRSI matters.

Confirming Date of Death / Date of Marriage of pensioner with DEASP or General Registrar's Office.

Checking with DEASP as to whether DF pensioners are in receipt of widow's/widower's pension (exempt from PRSI).

Checking with HSE to confirm whether DF pensioner is a medical card holder (exempt from PRSI).

Checking with DEASP regarding social welfare benefit of DF disability pension/gratuity cases where the issue of double compensation has arisen as a result of a civil action settlement/award.

This service will not be provided by the Department of Defence following its move to the Payroll Shared Service Centre in the near future.

With regard to the Defence Forces the information is as follows:

Yes

The Defence Forces does not maintain a specific register/database of the PPS Number of commissioned and non-commissioned personnel. All service personnel are allocated a (military) service number on enlistment/commissioning which is the main identification reference used. The PPS Number is used in the Defence Forces in the following areas:

• notated on Enlistment on form AF 458 - Schedule of recruits enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force for Income Tax purposes and forwarded to the department's Pay Sections
• notated on form LA 30 (Admin) Administrative Medical & Dental Record of Enlisted Personnel to indicate entitlement to public health services
• notated in an individual’s Identification Details on the Personal Management System and Personal Records Sheets
• notated on various forms relating to discharges from the Defence Forces

The Defence Forces do not routinely share PPS Numbers with external bodies with the exception of:

• Department of Defence for payroll and income tax purposes
• passport Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs for the issuance of Official Passports

The Defence Forces currently do not have plans to extend the use of the PPS Number.

From a Data Protection perspective a model contract is currently under development in conjunction with the Director of Legal Services to ensure the safe-guarding and fair processing of personal data and sensitive personal data supplied by the Defence Forces to outside agencies.