Irish Water 'should delete PPSN numbers as soon as purpose is fulfilled'

Irish Water insists that customers personal data will only be used in specific ways and users can decide what information they provide.

The company was reacting to newspaper reports over the weekend in relation to the use and storage of data.

Irish Water is in the process of sending out "application packs" to households around Ireland ahead of the first bills, which are expected to arrive in January.

Data protection consultant Darragh O'Brien said Irish Water should delete PPSN numbers and other data as soon as they have used it.

He said: "From a data-protection point of view, once you have finished the purpose for which you obtained the data, you don’t need to hold it any more and you are required by law to not hold it any more.

"If their only purpose is verifying your entitlement, I would ask then if they're holding onto (the numbers) and why they're holding onto them."