The project to ensure that computer systems in my Department are year 2000 compliant is very well advanced. Compliance work has been completed for all computer applications which support 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. My Department has been actively monitoring the year 2000 compliance progress in the three bodies under its aegis – the Combat Poverty Agency, the National Social Services Board and the Pen sions Board. It is expected full compliance will have been achieved for all three before the end of June.
The overall target date for achievement of year 2000 compliance is July 1998. Some residual testing of a small amount of marginal software will continue beyond July. 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.