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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Dec 1998

Vol. 498 No. 4

Written Answers. - Computer Programmes.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

86 Mr. Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent of her Department's preparedness for the year 2000 problem, including agencies for which she 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [27223/98]

In July 1997, our Department developed a year 2000 plan which identified all of the IT systems and applications in operation within our Department and the action necessary in relation to each to ensure they are year 2000 compliant. An internal year 2000 monitoring committee was set up with the remit of overseeing progress on the implementation of the year 2000 compliance plan for the Department and for the agencies which come within our Department's remit. This committee meets fortnightly to ensure continuous and scheduled progress on the project.

Each of the agencies is in the course of implementing its year 2000 plan. The agencies are required to report to the Department on a quarterly basis updating on progress in implementing their year 2000 plan. The agency reports are reviewed by the Department's internal year 2000 monitoring committee and my follow-up action is identified and acted upon.

In September 1997, the Government set up an independent monitoring committee to oversee progress in relation to year 2000 compliance throughout the entire civil and public service. This committee reports regularly to Government on progress being made within each Department.

The year 2000 project for our Department is progressing well and this is borne out in the reports prepared for Government by the monitoring committee. We are confident that the schedule set for implementation of the year 2000 projects in our Department are realistic and will be met.
The expenditure for the Department's Year 2000 plan for 1998 will amount to £45,000. In 1999, an amount of £95,000 is specifically committed in the Estimates for this project.
Two staff members have been assigned fulltime to the year 2000 project and others are assigned as the need arises. Our Department has also contracted the services of a firm of outside consultants to provide support with the overall year 2000 plan. Consultants are being retained to provide support in respect of a number of specific systems which require remedial action.
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