Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 3 Dec 1998

Vol. 497 No. 7

Written Answers - Computer Programmes.

Nora Owen

Question:

25 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will provide a full report on the Government's committee dealing with the millennium bug; the number of occasions this committee has met; the recommendations, if any, it has made; when she will have the committee's final report; if she has satisfied herself with the progress companies are making to prepare themselves to cope with the millennium bug; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25985/98]

David Stanton

Question:

28 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of times the year 2000 awareness campaign committee has met since its establishment; its work programme progress, if any, to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26067/98]

Deirdre Clune

Question:

45 Ms Clune asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will provide a full report on the Government's committee dealing with the millennium bug; the number of occasions this committee has met; the recommendations, if any, it has made; when she will have the committee's final report; if she has satisfied herself with the progress companies are making to prepare themselves to cope with the millennium bug; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25986/98]

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Mr. Treacy)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 28 and 45 together.

There are a number of Government committees on year 2000 and they have met on a total of 40 times.

In April and May of this year, I invited and received the commitment of representatives of a broad range of relevant business organisations and State agencies to support the Government's campaign and take part in a year 2000 awareness committee to oversee the campaign and advise me on an appropriate campaign strategy to counter the problem.

With the help of the committee, a second comprehensive brochure was prepared outlining the nature and implications of the problem and giving advice on how to go about dealing with it. This brochure has been circulated to over 100,000 businesses throughout the country.

In addition, a series of seven regional public meetings have been held to highlight awareness of the problem where I personally, along with committee representatives, have impressed on participants at these meetings the urgency of the need to address the issue. These regional meetings and a subsequent national conference in Dublin received wide media coverage. I have also addressed numerous professional gatherings on the year 2000 issue, many of which involved members of the national committee.

With regard to the internal workings of the campaign committee, its role has been mainly twofold — to advise me on campaign strategy and to report on the progress within the bodies represented and in the wider business community. Its members include groups which interact with small business on a daily basis, for example, the banks, the accounting/auditing profession and the insurance industry. The committee has met on four official occasions since its formation. Several members of the committee have attended many other meetings on this issue throughout the year. It is not intended that the committee will produce a report as its role is mainly of an advisory nature as well as taking an active part in the awareness campaign.

Some recent research carried out by the chambers of commerce of Ireland, in conjunction with the Irish Computer Society, on the level of compliance of Irish businesses has found that, while the business awareness campaign has resulted in a high level of awareness of the problem, the level of corrective action, particularly among SMEs, still falls below what is required. Along with my advisers, I am considering what further measures could be taken to encourage Irish business, particularly small businesses, to actively engage this problem. I hope to make an announcement on this matter within the next few weeks.