Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 261: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the Government is considering any legal action against the consultants on the PPARS project to recover lost money; if she has seen the contracts for engaging the consultants; and if she has sought legal advice on the potential for enforcing penalty or performance clauses within that contract. [30256/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The management of PPARS contractual relationships is a matter for the Health Service Executive, HSE.

As the Deputy is aware, the HSE, at its board meeting on 6 October 2005, decided to put on hold the further roll-out of PPARS in the HSE west, south, south east, east and north east pending a review. That review is currently under way, and my Department and the Department of Finance are represented on the review group.

Following that decision, the HSE sought and received legal advice on the management of its contractual relationships. That advice recommended that the contract be suspended, as provided for in the contract, and arrangements have been made to give effect to that decision by the HSE, pending the review.

My Department and the Department of Finance will be considering the outcome of that review as soon as it becomes available. The Deputy will be aware that the Government has decided on a new system for the management and control of major IT projects and on new measures to improve the management of consultants.