Vol. 485 No. 4
163 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if the computer programmes in use in his Department currently use a two digit year code or a four digit year code; if it is the former, the steps, if any, being taken to examine each line of computer programme in use in his Department to convert two digit to four digit codes to cope with the identification of the Year 2000; and, if so, when this conversion will be complete. [23489/97]
164 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of lines of computer code in use in his Department and in each agency under its aegis. [23504/97]
165 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will give an estimate of the cost of converting and testing computer programmes in use in his Department and in each agency under his aegis for the Year 2000 problem; and the conversion from the punt to the euro. [23521/97]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 163, 164 and 165 together.
My Department carried out a Year 2000 impact assessment study during the period from October 1996 to February 1997. A full inventory of computer hardware and software was undertaken and the software applications were examined to identify occurrences of two digit year codes in dates. The inventory showed that there are some 6.5 million lines of code contained in the Department's software applications.
Applications developed in the 1980s use a two digit year field. Later applications use a four digit field but these will require appropriate testing to ensure Year 2000 compliance.
Based on the results of the impact study, the Department initiated in February 1997 a project to convert applications and to ensure Year 2000 compliance of all software and hardware. Additional resources such as equipment, staffing and external support are required for this project and in September 1997, the Government approved a special allocation of £8.5 million to cover these costs.
The overall Year 2000 project is well under way. The majority of the Department's IT development staff are engaged on the project at this stage and it is expected that the main conversions will be completed by the first quarter of 1999. On 30 September, the Government decided that the Minister for Finance should instruct all Departments to ensure that all public bodies under their aegis are addressing their Year 2000 problems.
