ID cards granted to workers from 'non-countries'
THE government is issuing identity numbers, which allow people to access social welfare payments, public healthcare and education, to citizens of countries which do not exist.
Just over 100 personal public service (PPS) numbers have been issued to people who told Department of Social and Family Affairs officials they came from Palestine, Kosovo and Chechyna -- none of which are internationally-recognised states.
Separatist fighters in Chechyna have been at war with Russia for much of the last decade seeking independence, while talks between Israel and Palestine, over the creation of a a Palestinian homeland, have collapsed.
Kosovo, where 90pc of the population are ethnic Albanians, is even more complicated. It has been run by the UN since 1999 and it remains legally part of Serbia.
But this didn't stop Department of Social and Family Affairs officials in Co Kerry from declaring 11 people who applied for PPS numbers to be from Kosovo. Officials in Dublin also said that 16 Kosovo citizens could get the numbers.
Benefits
The figures show that 37 people claiming to be from an independent state of Kosovo were issued with PPS numbers, while 19 citizens of Chechnya also secured the right to file tax returns and access healthcare and other public benefits.
A total of 45 people declared themselves to be from Palestine, including 30 in Dublin, four in Galway and three in Clare.
In all, 101 people from countries not recognised as independent states were issued with the numbers.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said last night that Ireland recognised the right of the Palestinian people to a separate homeland, but that PPS numbers did not denote nationality.
The PPS numbers were issued to citizens of the non-existent states because the person presented an identity card to officials, the Department of Social and Family Affairs said.
Under department guidelines, people from outside the EU must present a valid passport or Certificate of Registration from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to get a PPS number.
Having the number did not entitle people to payments or benefits, and identity cards would have been presented to officials before the number issued, a spokesperson said.
- Paul Melia
