Company directors can be made personally liable for the neglect of potential Year 2000 computer problems in their businesses, according to Fianna Fail senator Ms Margaret Cox.

"Most companies in Ireland are aware, quite a number have begun to do something about it, but there are too many organisations that believe this problem will not affect them in any way," she warned. Quoting a recent Chambers of Commerce of Ireland survey, she said that 16 per cent of the companies surveyed planned to take no action on the Year 2000 issue and only 20 per cent planned to produce a Year 2000 contingency plan. Many small and medium-sized companies are continuing to purchase products that are not Year 2000-compliant because of the absence of any laws requiring products to be so, she said.

To encourage companies to begin preparations for Year 2000, Senator Cox suggested tax-based incentives which could be made available only until August/September 1999. She called on the Government to set up a millennium-bug website and to produce a simple guide to addressing the problem, which should be made available free of charge.