Vol. 504 No. 7
267 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the state of readiness of his Department with regard to the year 2000 computer issue; if he will report on the position in relation to hardware and software; if a statement of compliance of readiness has been issued; if not, if and when such a statement will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12596/99]
The project to ensure computer systems in my Department are year 2000 compliant is very well advanced. Compliance work has been completed for all computer application software which supports the Department's core business of processing claims and making payments across a wide variety of schemes. Some systems, such as child benefit and family income supplement, have already successfully produced payment orders with dates beyond 31 December 1999.
My Department is also well advanced in the testing and upgrading of all computer hardware, system software and network components. Integration tests between the Department and a number of external key suppliers who have computer links to the Department are almost complete.
The overall target date for achievement of compliance is July 1999. Some residual testing of a small amount of marginal software will continue until September. Implementation and overseeing of contingency arrangements will proceed up to the end of the year.
A comprehensive statement of my Department's state of readiness with regard to the year 2000 project has been published on the Department's Internet website. This statement will be updated on a regular basis to reflect continuing progress on the project.
