Martin Cullen
Question:41 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Social Welfare the main information technology development projects in the Department of Social Welfare at present. [13970/95]
Written Answers. - Information Technology Projects.
The primary information technology project in progress in my Department at present is the integrated short term schemes project. This project will integrate claim processing for all short term payment schemes viz. unemployment, sickness, maternity and supplementary welfare allowance. The first phase of this project, for unemployment payments, is currently being implemented in the local offices of the Department around the country. The remaining phase is due to be implemented early next year. A major portion of the Department's information technology staff resources are engaged on this project.
A number of other development projects are also under way. These are an information systems review project which aims to define the most appropriate information technology strategy to optimally support the Department's administration of schemes and services over the next five to ten years; a network redesign project to review the Department's telecommunications requirements — voice and data — and to design a network capable of supporting the projected business of the Department in the longer-term and an information dissemination project which is examining how information can be best made available to the Department's clients by using the opportunities available through the advances being made in the general information technology area.
In addition to the above my Department has an extensive range of current information technology applications which must be maintained and developed to cater for ongoing changes etc.