Pat Carey
Ceist:442 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way in which a PPS number was sent to adoptive parents of a person (details supplied) in the wrong name; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25541/02]
Written Answers. - Personal Public Service Numbers.
As part of the recent advertisement and awareness campaign for the personal public service (PPS) number my Department issued letters to child benefit claimants advising them of their children's PPS numbers. In total 460,000 letters issued containing the PPS numbers for 880,000 children. The letters also afforded the parents, by means of a reply slip, the opportunity to rectify any incorrect information held by my Department to eliminate the risk of any problems in the future.
In the case in question a letter issued which listed the original birth surname of an adopted child. Investigation of this matter within my Department has confirmed that in 1991 the parents advised my Department in connection with a claim on behalf of one of the parents of the change in the child's surname. However, this information was not updated to the Department's central records system or notified to the child benefit area. I can confirm that checks are being put in place within my Department to ensure that this situation does not occur again. I regret the distress caused to the family through this error. I wish to advise that my Department has been in direct contact with the adoptive parents and that the incorrect data has now been fully corrected on my Department's databases and an apology given.