asked the Minister for Finance the nature of the computer equipment now in use in the Collector General's Office, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2; whether and to what extent such equipment is compatible with computer equipment in use in the Department of Social Welfare; whether he has any plans to make such equipment more compatible; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Collector General's Office Equipment.
20.
The computer facilities used by the staff in the office of the Collector General are based mainly on the Revenue Commissioners' large-scale DPS 90/92T computer supplied by Honeywell Bull and an office-wide telecommunications network. Of the 700 visual display units attached to the network, 85 are currently located at Teach Earlsfort together with 22 personal computers which support a range of additional local services.
PRSI data are collected by the Revenue Commissioners through the operation of the PAYE system. These data are forwarded to the Department of Social Welfare on magnetic tape on a regular basis to be incorporated into the computer records held in that Department. Although the computers in the Department of Social Welfare are supplied by a different vendor there are no technical barriers to the transfer of data on this basis in either direction.
The present arrangements for the periodic bulk transfer of data is the most appropriate because of the substantial volumes involved.