Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Dec 1998

Vol. 498 No. 4

Written Answers. - Computer Programmes.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

176 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the extent of his Department's preparedness for the year 2000 problem, including agencies for which he is responsible; the amount of money contained in this year's Departmental Estimates for dealing with the problem; the number of additional staff taken on to assist year 2000 work including any outside consultants involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27228/98]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

In consultation with the Centre for Management and Organisation Development of the Department of Finance, my Department completed a year 2000 assessment and compliance plan last year. In August 1997 my Department set up a year 2000 project board, to oversee the work on year 2000 compliance.

As part of the preliminary impact assessment, some 50 departmental systems were identified as being non-compliant. Remedial work is being carried out on all of these and some tasks have been completed. The year 2000 project board meets on a monthly basis to review and monitor progress. In addition, a bi-monthly status report is forwarded to the interdepartmental year 2000 monitoring committee. It is expected that work on the non-compliant systems will be completed by mid-1999.

The headage-premia and export refunds systems are the main payment systems accounting for approximately £1.3 billion of my Department's total annual spend. Work on the headage and premium systems is at an advanced stage and should be completed by mid-1999. Year 2000 work has been completed on the export refunds application code. Systems dealing with REPS and structural improvement measures are also year 2000 compliant. The estimated cost for my Department's year 2000 compliance work is £1.8 million, of which £820,000 will be spent in 1998.

With regard to staff assigned to year 2000 work, nine computer staff have been allocated full-time to the year 2000 project since June 1998. Where software applications were developed in-house staff maintaining these systems are carrying out the year 2000 remedial work. where systems were developed externally consultants have been engaged to make the necessary amendments.

With regard to State agencies under the aegis of my Department, a separate monitoring group was established to oversee year 2000 compliance in these organisations. The monitoring group includes representatives of all State agencies. Each agency report to the group on a bi-monthly basis and work is progressing well.