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.

However, Damien English says 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 you’re given is a PPS number to help us do our work,” Mr English said.

“Yet as practitioners we’re using it every day of the week but some people in this house use every occasion to stir up people’s emotions around PPS number.

“Go into any TDs office, I guarantee you the first you’re asked for is that number. It’s like your address in some ways, it’s your identification number to get access to information which people sue in all government departments,” he added.