Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I want to return to the issue of the failed €150 million PPARS computer system which the Taoiseach defended in the House yesterday. Before raising a number of matters to which the Taoiseach referred, I point out the difference between the briefing document given to him and the Tánaiste and their presentations on this system. The Taoiseach accused me yesterday of being dishonest in the presentation of facts. This is not an accusation I take lightly. I want the Taoiseach to be honest about his remarks to the House when he defended this system.

The Taoiseach stated the PPARS system is not an IT system. That is wrong. How does he explain that in her statement yesterday the Tánaiste used the term "IT" or "information technology" on ten occasions? Furthermore, the Department of Finance in its letter of 28 June to the Department of Health and Children stated it was also surprised at the seeming IT focus of the national team. Yesterday, the Taoiseach stated that in the mid-1990s the health boards alone decided they needed a better payroll system. That is wrong. The decision to embark on the PPARS system was taken jointly by the health boards and the Department of Health and Children. This was clearly stated in the Hay report, to which the Taoiseach referred yesterday. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is intervening with his own information. Yesterday, the Taoiseach stated in the House that Deloitte & Touche had trained 140,000 staff. That is wrong. Deloitte & Touche did not train 140,000 staff. It employed 40 young graduates who sought new experience. The Department of Finance letter stated that the Deloitte & Touche staff were "mirroring" house staff, with no added value. Yesterday, the Taoiseach stated in the House that last October the Health Service Executive, with officials from the Department of Finance, stated several times through the news media that it was reviewing the system. That is wrong. There was no such indication of a review of the system last October. In fact, on 2 November last in answer to a parliamentary question, the Tánaiste sang the praises of the PPARS system and stated: "It is anticipated that the PPARS system will be implemented in all health board areas by the end of 2005." However, the Irish Nurses Organisation yesterday revealed that as recently as July and September of this year, the PPARS office was telling the INO that there was no longer any review of the system. On those four issues, the Taoiseach is wrong, wrong, wrong and wrong.

The Taoiseach should take the opportunity to correct those inaccuracies and tell the House whether he has issued an instruction to the HSE to continue with this system despite the Tánaiste saying that if it is wrong, the Government will throw its hands up.

See this speech in context