National College of Ireland (Register of Users)

Updated: January 2018

Does your organisation use the PPSN at present?

Yes.

If so, for what purpose?

PPS numbers are used as unique identifiers for both employees and students in their dealings with National College of Ireland. The numbers are used in the payroll, human resources and student registration, assessment and academic and financial support systems operated by the College specifically:

• Administration of the College’ payroll system
• Administration of Professional Services Withholding Tax
• Administration of the Student Records System
• Administration of Student Assessment and Award
• Administration of the Student Assistance Fund and Fund for Students with Disabilities
• Administration of the Student Grant System
• Administration of the HR System
• Administration of Pension Schemes
• Administration of Redundancy Schemes

Does your organisation exchange the PPS number with any other body? If so please name the relevant bodies and the purpose(s) of the exchange?

With respect to employees, PPS numbers are exchanged with the following bodies for the reasons stated below:

a) Revenue Commissioners: for the administration of employee tax affairs as required by the Revenue.

b) Department of Social Protection: for the administration of employee entitlements to social welfare benefits.

c) Invesco Ireland for the administration of the NCI Defined Benefit Pension Scheme. PPS number is forwarded with the permission of the staff member

d) Bank of Ireland Life for the administration of the NCI defined contribution scheme. PPS number is provided by the staff member

e) Banks and Buildings Societies: Only at an employee's explicit request and with their consent these bodies can be given details of an employee's income, including their PPS number.

With respect to students, PPS numbers are exchanged with the following bodies for the reasons stated below:

a) Central Applications Office: Students applying both directly to NCI and through the CAO are also asked for their PPS number on applications forms. The number is used as a unique identifier.

b) Department of Social Protection: The University provides PPS numbers to the Department of students who have provided their PPS numbers to NCI as part of the returns made in respect of registered students on 31st October each year.

c) Higher Education Authority: Where they exist the NCI provides PPS numbers to the HEA as part of the Annual Statistical Return. This return covers all registered students on 1st March each year and graduates who have received an award in the preceding year. PPS numbers are also provided to the HEA as part of the First Destination Return of recent graduates. The HEA uses the returns to collate statistics in relation to the higher education sector in Ireland. The PPS number also provided for students in receipt of the Student Assistance Fund from HEA

d) Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI): The University obtains PPS numbers from SUSI in relation to students who are applying for grant support and the number is used as a unique identifier for these students.

e) Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) : NCI provides PPS numbers to QQI in order to submit the student for his/her award. This is a mandatory requirement.

Does your organisation have any other plans involving the use of the PPS number?

The College has no further plans involving the use of the PPS number.

There are Eight Rules of Data Protection which govern the processing of personal data set out as follows:

• obtain and process the information fairly
• keep it only for one or more specified, explicit and lawful purposes
• process it only in ways compatible with the purposes for which it was given to you initially
• keep it safe and secure
• keep it accurate, complete and up-to-date
• ensure that it is adequate, relevant and not excessive
• retain it no longer than is necessary for the specified purpose or purposes
• give a copy of his or her personal data to an individual, on request

Have you measures in place to ensure that the Public Service Identity data you hold or collect, whether held in electronic or written format is secure and that it is accessible and processed, only in connection with the purpose for which it has been provided?

Yes. Access is restricted to appropriate, authorised persons, servers are protected from unauthorised access, PCs are subject to appropriate security, PPS numbers are only processed in connection with the purposes for which they have been provided as outlined above. Appropriate data protection and records management policies apply.