I wish to ask the Minister for her views on the delay in issuing PPS numbers by her Department and the plans that are in place to tackle this delay.

PPS numbers are issued automatically when a birth is registered or via an application by a person who does not already have a PPS number, such as a new worker arriving into the State. On average, it takes 31 days to issue a PPS number following an application. Some 90% of applications are processed within two months. While the Department is working to reduce processing times, the time to process a PPS number has to be considered in the context of the increase in the number of applications for PPS numbers received so far in 2022, the care that must be taken to ensure PPS numbers are only issued to people who can properly validate their identity and the arrangements of the Department has in place to process PPS numbers in the case of emergency.

Apart from the PPS numbers automatically allocated as a result of birth registration, my Department processed over 179,000 applications to the end of September this year, an increase of more than 130,000, or 170%, on the same period in 2021. My Department has already allocated more PPS numbers in the first nine months of this year than were allocated in total last year. Separate to the arrival of Ukrainian refugees, my Department has also seen an increase of over 40,000 applications from people arriving in Ireland to take up employment, reflecting the strong economic recovery as we exit the Covid pandemic.

While the PPS number application process is relatively straightforward, delays can occur where incomplete applications are submitted or there are problems with the quality of the documents provided. When this occurs, the applicant is contacted by my Department to help progress the application. The Department has also established arrangements with other public bodies, employer groups and representative bodies to expedite applications in cases of urgency.

Given the significant increase in application volumes, the Department has trained additional staff on PPS number work and resources have been supplemented by overtime. This reallocation of resources does, however, need to be managed, taking account of other work pressures including a recent increase in applications for additional needs payments. As a result, my Department sought and received an increased staff allocation of 289 as part of the Estimates process and is already in the process of recruiting these staff.

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I accept the difficulties that have been experienced by the Department over the past six or seven months, in particular in respect of the crisis in Ukraine. I commend the workers in the Department who have been operating in very difficult circumstances.

An Irish citizen who worked in the UAE came home to get a job. We are asking people to come back and contribute to our society. He is from the North and sought a PPS number on his return to Ireland. He had to wait three months, even though he was told there was a six-week delay. He was out of work for those three months as a result. I appreciate that there are extreme difficulties in the Department and acknowledge that there has been extra overtime and that people are being trained. I hope the delay will be resolved very soon.

I accept the response from the Minister of State.