Work on achieving year 2000 compliance has been ongoing in my Department since 1997 and I am satisfied that the Department is on target to achieve compliance on all critical aspects of its operations by June 1999. With regard to the offices which come under my remit, I am satisfied that they will all achieve the deadline of 31 July 1999, set by Government decision on 14 December last, for achieving compliance on all their critical systems. This work is being monitored closely in my Department by a year 2000 committee which reports to me. Similar committees, reporting to senior management, monitor progress in the offices under my remit and these offices report in turn to the Interdepartmental Year 2000 Monitoring Committee, established in 1997 to oversee achievement of year 2000 compliance in the Civil Service. This committee, which is chaired by my Department, reports to Government every two months.
A separate committee, which also reports to me, monitors progress on achievement of year 2000 compliance in the State-sponsored bodies under the aegis of my Department. Recent progress reports from these bodies show that they are all on schedule to achieve compliance.