Desmond J. O'Malley
Question:29 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost of implementing the new integrated short-term computerisation system payments. [3993/96]
Written Answers. - Integrated Short-Term Schemes System.
Peadar Clohessy
Question:42 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost of implementing the new computerised integrated short-term system payments. [1304/96]
Máirín Quill
Question:46 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Social Welfare the progress, if any, being made to implement the new integrated short-term computerisation system payments. [3992/96]
Liz O'Donnell
Question:59 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost of implementing the new integrated short-term computerisation system payments. [3989/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 42, 46 and 59 together.
The integrated short-term schemes system (ISTS) is part of a continuing programme of improvement and modernisation of my Department's systems and services that has been under way for a number of years. The ISTS project is the biggest one ever undertaken by the Department and impinges on the work of over 2,000 staff located throughout the country. The project's aim is to provide a single integrated system for the processing and payment of all short-term social welfare payments, viz., unemployment payments, sickness benefits, and supplementary welfare allowance.
Most of the work on the development and implementation of the new system was done by staff of the Department who are normally engaged on development and business change programmes. Additional costs arose from the appointment of extra staff, the engagement of external assistance in the development of the software and management of the project, the provision of specific technical skills, the purchase of additional computing capacity and the training of staff in the use of the system.
The system was developed in two phases. Phase 1 which caters for unemployment payments went live at the first social welfare local office in March 1995 and now operates in all 55 local offices throughout the country. Some 230,000 unemployment claims are now being processed and paid by the ISTS system.
Phase 2 of the project is due to go live in early May 1996 with additional features for the unemployment payments system. It will be extended to sickness benefit schemes in June. Towards the end of May the systems will be extended to the first community welfare officers employed by the health boards who administer the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The computerisation of supplementary welfare allowance will bring significant benefits in the form of better customer service, better support for the community welfare officers, and improved control of expenditure. Network access to the new system will be extended to some 450 community welfare officers in a 12 month rollout period from June this year.
Specific costs which arose during the development and implementation of the system in 1993, 1994 and 1995 are as follows:
|
Extra Staffing Costs |
Training and Implementation |
Contractors and Consultancy |
Total |
|
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
1993 |
362,000 |
— |
968,000 |
1,330,000 |
|
1994 |
1,500,000 |
360,000 |
3,938,000 |
5,798,000 |
|
1995 |
1,500,000 |
1,357,000 |
3,225,000 |
6,082,000 |
|
Total |
3,362,000 |
1,717,000 |
8,131,000 |
13,210,000 |
It is estimated that costs in 1996 will amount to £3,835,000.
There were other costs associated with increasing the Department's computing capacity and extending the telecommunications network which it is not possible to separate from ongoing computing costs that occur in the normal course of maintaining and developing the computerised claims and payments system.
The investment in the new system provides a sound basis for improving claim processing, customer service as well as facilitating tighter control of the short-term schemes in the years ahead.