The second survey of computer skills costs has found that the highest rates are being charged for SAP or business process re-engineering skills. A team leader or analyst with more than five years experience in this area can command rates of around £500 per day. The Computer People Ireland survey, conducted by IT market consultants, Paul Mac Donnell & Associates, found mainframe languages such as COBOL and PL/1 are at daily rates of £289 for an analyst-programmer with three or more years experience, and at £350 for a team leader or analyst with three to five years experience. This reflects a 3 per cent fall in rates for these skills since the first survey was conducted last May.

According to Computer People Ireland manager, Ms Grainne Martin, the market for mainframe programming skills is flattening. "The focus is shifting from fixing code and systems for the Year 2000 to testing what's already been done." The cost of systems testers has shown a 2 per cent increase over the same period, from an average £286 per day to £292 per day. The cost of PC and networking skills has shown an increase of £21 per day or just more than 13 per cent, reflecting an increase in demand for these skills.