6B.— (1) A pensioner shall, in relation to a public service pension, supply his or her personal public service number to the paying authority concerned.

(2) A person, other than a pensioner, who is in receipt (whether in respect of himself, herself or otherwise) of a public service pension, or a part thereof, payable to the pensioner shall, in relation to the public service pension, supply the personal public service number of the pensioner to the paying authority concerned.

(3) A paying authority may use the personal public service number of a pensioner as a unique identifier to record information in respect of a public service pension payable to the pensioner and, whenever it transfers information in relation to that pensioner to the Minister or another paying authority, it may use that number which shall, where appropriate, be deemed to have been supplied under subsection (1) or (2), as the case may be.

(4) In this section "personal public service number", in relation to a pensioner, has the meaning it has in section 262 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005.]