Vol. 488 No. 1
153 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Finance the Department, if any, which has responsibility for co-ordinating the Government's preparations for the software requirements to deal with the year 2000 information technology issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3444/98]
Each Department and office is responsible for the management of its own affairs, for the IT systems which support its business, and for ensuring that these systems are made Year 2000 compliant in good time.
Each Department and office is also responsible for ensuring that systems operated by public bodies under its aegis are made Year 2000 compliant in good time.
The investigation and planning work in making IT systems in the Civil Service Year 2000 compliant has been completed, and remedial work has been under way for some time.
To co-ordinate the achievement of Year 2000 compliance across the Civil Service, an Interdepartmental Year 2000 Monitoring Committee has been established by the Government. This committee is chaired by my Department and includes four private sector experts. The committee has sought and received up-to-date information from all Departments and offices on their Year 2000 programmes, and its first report has now been received. It is currently being considered by my Department and I will be bringing it to Government shortly.
