Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland the Personal Public Service Number (PPS No) is increasingly gaining the characteristics of a national identification number as it is used for a widening variety of public services - although it is stated that it is not a national identifier and its use is defined by law. The PPS No. is in the basic form of 1234567T (PPS Numbers allocated from 1 January 2013 will have the format 1234567TA) and is unique to every person.
For certain public services the collection or retention of numbers of the general public is not allowed, thus Garda Siochána (Irish police) is only given an exemption for its own employees or other people defined under the Immigration Act, 2003 - the latter who are people who are not European Union nationals. Similarly the Irish Defence Forces may only collect and retain the number for their own employees.
The number is also used in the private sector, but is limited to a few procedures that lawfully required the production of a number, for transactions with public services and in this regard the private sector will be acting as the agent of a public body entitled to collect and retain the number. Thus, for instance, students who attend college or university will routinely have their number (or other personal data) collected at registration - this will then be sent to Department of Social Protection to ensure that a student is not simulataneously claiming social welfare. Banks may collect the number for the administration of accounts that give interest or tax reliefs which the state funds, through the Revenue Commissioners. A bank may not use the number as a customer identification number.
Read more about this topic: National Identification Number
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