Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Register of Users)

Updated June 2019

Does your organisation use the PPSN at present?

Yes

If so, for what purpose?

The PPS Number is used on all matters relating to Departmental employees i.e. salary, taxation and social welfare matters.

In line with other Government Departments, the Human Resource Management System (HRMS) is managed on our behalf by Dept. Public Expenditure and Reform. Records on this system use the PPS Number as an identifier.

The Department's payroll function is outsourced to the Dept. Finance, Tullamore where the Department's employees PPS number is used.

An employer number (which may be a PPS number) is also retained on Tax Clearance Certificates for individuals supplying goods and service to the Department and it client organisations.

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?

The Department uses the number for the exchange of employee related information with the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (HRMS and pensions section) and the Department of Finance (payroll).

The PPS Number is also exchanged with other Government Departments when staff are transferring etc.

The purpose of such exchanges is to meet obligations under legislation.

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

The Department currently has no plans to extend the use of the PPS Number to other applications.

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 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

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?

The Department has measures in place to ensure that the Public Service Identity data that we hold/collect whether in electronic or written format is in line with the GDPR Principles described.