The legal requirements for the allocation of a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number are that a person satisfies the Minister as to his or her identity and also provides a reason as to why a PPS Number is required (i.e. to carry out a transaction with a specified body, a body specified in legislation as authorised to use PPS Numbers).
Information regarding PPS Numbers are available on the Department's website here: http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/PPSN.aspx
The person concerned should attend his PPS Number allocation office and provide whatever evidence he has as to his identity. If there is insufficient evidence presented for that office to allocate a PPS Number, then the case can then be forwarded to the Department's Client Identity Services Unit for further consideration. A UK driver's licence is acceptable evidence of identity should he hold one.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.