Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I stated yesterday that the health boards first mooted the idea of a payroll system for the health sector in 1994-95. That is the factual position. However, they did not follow through on that system. To answer Deputy Kenny's first question, discussions took place and the original proposal was broadened out over time from that of a computerised payroll system to one dealing with the recording of personnel information, payments of pensions, recruitment, time management and rostering. In early 2001, the cost estimated by Hay Management Consultants for this expanded functionality, which was an entirely different system from the one initially considered, was €100 million.

Hay Management Consultants were hired at that time to examine the expanded project rather than the original scheme which had not been followed in 1994-95. Some €100 million was considered a realistic estimate and the Hay organisation stated that the project was worth supporting. The summary of its report indicated the PPARS system should be seen as more as a business change programme than a system implementation programme, to answer the Deputy's second question. The timescale was envisaged as being three years. In 2002, the Secretary General of the Department of Health and Children gave permission for PPARS to proceed. The expanded system initially went live in three health board areas, covering approximately 40,000 staff.

To answer Deputy Kenny's further question, I stated yesterday that 140,000 staff were on the system. I heard a good and eminent friend of mine, Maurice Nelligan, question that figure on radio yesterday when he stated that there were only 100,000 staff. However, the figure for 100,000 whole-time equivalents includes voluntary and part-time staff, so my good friend Maurice Nelligan was wrong too.

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