Junior Education Minister defends use of children's PPS numbers
The junior education minister has accused TDs of hypocrisy by complaining about plans to ask primary school pupils for PPS numbers.
The numbers are part of the information parents are being asked to give schools as part of a census of primary pupils.
The government has been criticised for plans to keep the details for 30 years, and for asking for a child's PPS number.
But Damien English accused his fellow TDs of "stirring up" emotions, and claimed TDs already ask for the same details from nearly everyone who asks them for help.
"Every day of the week, with the hundreds of people we use in our offices, immediately the first thing they're giving is the PPS number, to help us do our work," he told the chamber.
"As practitioners, we're using it every day of the week, but some people in this house use every occasion to stir up the people's emotions around PPS numbers and people's use of them.
"Yet go into any TD's office, I guarantee you one of the first things you're asked for is that number - it's like your address in some ways."
