Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 15 Dec 1998

Vol. 498 No. 4

Written Answers. - Computer Programmes.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

105 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent of his Department's preparedness for the year 2000 problem, including agencies for which he 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 he will make a statement on the matter. [27225/98]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

Within the Department two committees have been set up to monitor and oversee progress on achieving year 2000 compliance. One relates to the Department itself and the other to the agencies under the aegis of the Department i.e. National Committee for Development Education, Refugee Agency, Agency for Personal Service Overseas and Irish Aid Advisory Committee.

The Department, in common with other Government Departments, has established a plan to ensure that it is year 2000 compliant by the end of 1999. This plan covers all IT hardware and software along with other office equipment and plant. The plan includes the following: an inventory of all hardware and software in the Department, close contact with suppliers, on-site testing and replacement upgrading of any non-compliant hardware or software. The plan was submitted to the interdepartmental year 2000 monitoring committee in December 1997 and updated status reports are submitted to this committee every two months.

Work to date includes the completion of inventories and the certification of certain systems as year 2000 compliant. In the context of the Department's quality customer care strategy, the remedial work required for the Passport Office is well under way. Work to ensure the continuity of internal services such as word processing, e-mail, financial and personnel management systems etc., is progressing.

Progress on the implementation of the plan is being closely monitored in conjunction with the year 2000 monitoring committee to ensure that the necessary work will be completed in good time.

A sum of £1,325,000 has been included in this year's Departmental estimates for year 2000 related work in 1999.

To date no additional staff have been assigned and no consultants have been engaged to assist this Department's year 2000 project.