Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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307. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount being spent per annum by his Department on information technology systems for both GLAS and BPS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14694/18]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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308. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the same companies have the contracts to supply information technology support for both GLAS and BPS; if not, if this is contributing to delays in GLAS payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14695/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 307 and 308 together.

The Department’s schemes and services are supported by a wide range of complex interconnected IT systems.  These systems are developed and supported using an appropriate mix of internal ICT staff supported by external resources.

The external support for each of the systems in question was sourced through separate procurement exercises, in order to meet the particular development requirements of the individual systems. In respect of BPS and GLAS, the same contracting company was successful in being awarded both contracts.  The awarding of these contracts had no negative effect on GLAS payments.

Details of the amounts paid in respect of contracts for external support in relation to the

- systems supporting the Basic Payment Scheme, Greening, Entitlements, National Reserve, Protein Aid Scheme, Young Farmers Scheme and maintenance of the GeospatialInformation/Land Parcel Identification System (Column A below)

and the

- Generic Claims Processing System supporting the GLAS scheme, TAMS II, Organic Farmers Scheme, he various KT schemes and GLAS Training (Column B below)

are as follows:

Costs are associated with the contracts in place and are not associated with individual schemes.

* Includes software testing contract costs which are paid under a separate contract for the testing of all Departments systems since May 2017.