People should not be concerned about giving their children's PPS numbers to Irish Water, according to Minister of State for Data Protection Dara Murphy.

However, he said the semi-State utility “should have done better” in explaining how the incoming charges for water would work.

“The PPS numbers are being requested in order to ensure that people are given allowances for children under the age of 18. Those PPS numbers cannot be shared,” Mr Murphy told The Irish Times.

“The Data Protection Commissioner is satisfied that the rules as applied haven’t been broken but yes, we do have to ensure that everyone has confidence in all the public bodies when it comes to data that they hold on their behalf,” he said.

“I think we have to accept that with respect to the terms and conditions and some of the explanatory notes that went with the Bills that Irish water should have done better.”

He was speaking in Dublin yesterday before visiting a European youth project in Europe House, Dawson Street.

Mr Murphy was appointed Ireland’s first Minister for Data Protection in July following the Cabinet reshuffle.

Yesterday, Taoiseach Enda Kenny told the Dáil that following a discussion at Cabinet, Mr Murphy had been assigned to the Department of Justice and Equality with special responsibility for Data Protection and there would be “a corresponding delegation of functions to him in this regard in due course”.