Vol. 485 No. 4
136 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children 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. [23485/97]
137 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of lines of computer code in use in his Department and in each agency under its aegis. [23500/97]
138 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children 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. [23517/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 136, 137 and 138 together.
My Department and the agencies under my remit are currently considering the Year 2000 and euro issue and part of this programme is to identify, where relevant, the number of lines of code and the programmes requiring change or replacement. In the context of the health services the bulk of the software is provided through third party packages who are the owners of the source code and who will provide the upgrade software for Year 2000 compliance.
The above process is ongoing and the full costs have yet to be identified. A total of £14 million for 1998, representing a 100 per cent increase over 1997, has been allocated in the Estimates for capital information systems services in the health agencies. Resolving Year 2000 problems and euro compliance will be given a high priority in the allocation of these funds. The estimated cost of compliance internally in my Department is not significant in this context.
Computer programmes recently developed in my Department use a four digit year code. It is planned that non compliant elements and third party products will be replaced or upgraded.
