Technological University Dublin Tallaght Campus (Previously IT Tallaght)

Updated: November 2019

Does your Institute use the PPSN at present?

Yes

If so, for what purpose?

TU Dublin, Tallaght securely holds data on staff and students including PPS numbers on our own network and on a range of proprietary management information systems (Finance Administration (Agresso), Student Records system (Banner) and HR and Payroll (CoreHR)). The management information systems are hosted and supported by Third Party companies under a Client Services Agreement with Educampus Services.

Staff: The PPS number is used in relation to employees for the following operations:

Administration of the University Integrated HR & Payroll System - information is gathered on the Commencement Form which is completed by the staff member and used in relation to HR, payroll, taxation, and administration of some social welfare entitlements. It is held in paper and electronic format on the University’s CORE HR/Payroll database for staff members.
Production of certain Pension Scheme documentation e.g. Single Pension Scheme Benefit Statements and also in the final payment authorisation to the Pensions paying authority.
Administration of Redundancy and Enhanced Redundancy Schemes.
Students: The PPS number is used in relation to students for the following operations: **
TU Dublin, Tallaght uses the PPS number as a unique identifier for each student along with their date of birth to ensure accuracy of student records.
Administration of the Student Records System (Banner); PPS numbers are collected by the CAO (for all full time students) & SOLAS (in relation to Apprentice students) and provided to TU Dublin along with other CAO data. PPS numbers of direct entry students are requested directly from the student themselves.
Administration of the Student Grant Scheme – PPS number is used as a unique identifier to provide SUSI (Central Grant Authorising Authority) with accurate registration and attendance records.
Administration of the Annual Statistical Returns of data to HEA.
Administration of the Annual Returns to Department of Social Protection in accordance with the provisions of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005.
Administration of pay authorisation and identification for payroll purposes in relation to students in receipt of a stipend (post graduate students).
Administration of post graduate student registration forms.
Administration of post graduate scholarship exemption declaration forms.
Administration of tax relief forms for students who wish to claim tax relief on their student fees

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

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

Revenue Commissioners:

In relation to payroll and taxation affairs of employee/retiree’s as required by the Revenue.

For the administration of Professional Services Withholding tax.

Where sole trader (low value €) creditors are not registered for VAT, their PPSN (Tax Registration Number) is requested and returned as part of the S891b annual return.

Department of Social Protection:

In relation to social welfare entitlements and pension benefits and related matters.

The Single Pension Scheme which applies to all new entrants to the Public Sector since 2013 is administered by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER); PPS numbers are included in the returns to DPER in respect of this scheme.
Banks & Buildings Societies: Only on the explicit request of an employee or retiree, or with their consent, would banks and building societies be given details of an employee’s income including their PPS number.
Department of Finance, Payroll Shared Services – Paymaster General:

Information pertaining to the award of Pension benefits to retired staff members.

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

To complete tax relief forms for students.

For postgraduate students receiving stipends, TU Dublin, Tallaght liaises with the Revenue Commissioners to ensure that the payment of stipends is compliant with tax legislation. The PPS number is used as a unique identifier for these students.

Submission to the Revenue of post graduate student Scholarship Exemption declaration forms in relation to PRSI exemptions.

Higher Educational Authority (HEA):

In relation to Annual Statistical Returns - PPSN are returned as a mandatory requirement in the annual HEA SRS Return for all students and graduates returned within the appropriate statistics for each academic year.

SUSI – (Student Universal Support Ireland) (Central Grant Awarding Authority):

The University obtains PPS numbers from SUSI in relation to students who are applying for grant support and their PPS number is used as a unique identifier for these students in the administration of processing grant applications and payments.

CAO – (Central Applications Office):

Students applying both directly to TU Dublin and through the CAO are requested to provide their PPS numbers on application forms. The number is used as a unique identifier.

Department of Social Protection:

Social Welfare payments and F/T Student enrolments.

We are required under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 to return data relating to full-time students to the Department of Social Protection on 31 October each academic year. PPS numbers form part of that return.

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

At this point in time the University has no future plans for uses of PPS numbers other than for what is stated in this document, however as a public body we may become party to shared service arrangements with other bodies as part of the public service reform agenda or in pursuit of efficiencies under the reconfiguration of Higher Education Structures. In addition we may need to outsource certain of our activities, to include for example payroll or pensions. In such circumstances the PPS number would be form part of those arrangements.

There is a duty to ensure compliance with the principles of processing personal data which are set out in Article 5(1) and 5(2) of the GDPR. These principles are summarised as follows:

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 or organisational security measures
be able to demonstrate your compliance with the above principles
respond to requests by individuals seeking to exercise their data protection rights (for example the right of access

Have you measures in place to ensure that the Public Service Identity data you hold/collect whether in electronic or written format is in line with the GDPR Principles described above?

Yes. TU Dublin, Tallaght complies with its obligations under existing GDPR and Freedom of Information legislation. The University has a framework of measures (policies / procedures, protocols, resources & training) in place to demonstrate compliance with the GDPR principals described in section (v). Data Protection Policy and Records Management Policy / Records Retention Schedules are in place. Access to University systems is restricted to authorised users.

Staff PPS numbers are held electronically on our dedicated Payroll/HR system (CORE), access to which is restricted to a limited number of personnel.
Staff PPS numbers may, in limited cases, be in hardcopy format in their Personnel files in the HR office, and in the payroll office. These files are maintained in secured filing cabinets in the HR/payroll office and access to which is restricted to the staff in the area by means of a swipe card entry system and also in an archived storage area which is locked and secured.
Student PPS numbers are maintained in electronic format on our dedicated system (Banner) and access to which is restricted to approved University staff.