Written Answers. - Millennium Projects.
David Stanton
Ceist:
244
Mr. Stanton
asked the
Minister for Finance
the membership of the national year 2000 committee; the dates of all meetings held since its establishment; its remit; if he has satisfied himself with its work to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25450/99]
The national year 2000 emergencies co-ordination committee has met three times since its establishment: on 22 September, 28 October and 18 November, and will meet again on 16 December. The role of the committee is to oversee and co-ordinate the Year 2000 contingency preparations and emergency management arrangements of the key national utility, infrastructure, health, security, financial and business sectors, so as to mitigate potential disruptions to Irish society in the event of problems arising from Year 2000 related incidents and-or millennium celebrations. In particular the committee is requested to:
(a)identify the interdependencies between the sectors represented on the committee;
(b)co-ordinate activities between these sectors to ensure that their contingency preparations and emergency management arrangements includes adequate measures to deal with these interdependencies;
(c)highlight areas of weakness in these preparations and arrangements, advise on further action required, and ensure that this advice is acted upon;
(d)keep the Interdepartmental Committee on Major Emergencies briefed of developments which may require significant national action;
(e)provide liaison between Ireland and other national governments and international bodies involved in Year 2000 contingency activities;
(f)report to Government on the state of preparedness every two months; and
(g)provide briefings to the press (through the Government Information Services) and publish information on the Government's central year 2000 web site on the state of contingency readiness to boost public confidence and allay fears.
The committee reviewed the general state of readiness of the sectors, and has reviewed the information co-ordination and emergency management arrangements among the sectors in the light of the interdependencies between them. To facilitate and develop the review procedure, the committee established an emergency services sub-group and a financial services sub-group to further the work of identifying interdependencies between sectors and ensuring that effective information and management co-ordination procedures were in place. Based on the work of the sub-groups, the committee is satisfied with the state of readiness of the sectors and that co-ordination arrangements are in place between the key sectors.
I am very satisfied with the work of the committee to date, the results of which will ensure that in the event of computer related incidents occurring over the Millennium changeover period, there will be a speedy and co-ordinated response to addressing them. The committee's work is still in progress with a view to ensuring that any disruptions that might arise will have minimum effects.
The Committee's membership is as follows: Mr. Charlie McCreevy T.D. Chairperson, Minister for Finance, Mr. Torlach Denihan, Irish Business and Employer's Confederation, Mr. Bernard Jones, Irish Institute of Freight Operators, Mr. Michael Kemp, Irish Insurance Federation, Felix O'Regan, Irish Bankers' Federation, Mr. Andrew F. Cullen, Department of Public Enterprise, Mr. Anthony Enright, Department of Health and Children, Mr. Seamus Feely, Office of the Revenue Commissioners, Mr. John Gillespie, Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Mr. Michael Guilfoyle, Department of the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr. Michael Grant, Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Mr. Benny Kevitt, Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr. Steve Magner, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Rody Molloy, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr. Michael O'Donoghue, Department of Defence, Mr. Tom O'Mahony, Department of the Environment and Local Government, Mr. Kevin Ring, Chairman, Interdepartmental Advisory Committee on Major Emergencies.
