The Government has suspended another computer project - a website - because it didn't work properly, it emerged tonight.
Fine Gael party leader Enda Kenny
Fine Gael claimed in the Dail that a €3 million one-stop-shop portal, launched by former minister for health Micheal Martin amid a fanfare of publicity in 2004, was abandoned earlier this year.
Fine Gael party leader Enda Kenny said: "The portal is not up and running because it doesn't exist. It has disappeared into the same black hole as the e-voting, the PPARS, the Digital Hub, Punchestown and all of the others."
Tanaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney admitted that the project, which was worked on by IBM and Accenture firms, was suspended earlier this year because the technology wasn't compatible.
The HSE re-tendered for a new 'unified website' on September 30th with a two-week deadline for tenders.
She said: "Work on the portal was suspended by the HSE last February because it seemed the technology may not have been compatible." She said that surveys in the US had shown that only 28 per cent of technology works on the first occasion.
"A tender for a smaller project costing less than €250,000 has been advertised," she added. Mr Kenny asked Ms Harney to investigate the short tender time and "clarify that this particular project is not written for any particular individual in mind".
Ms Harney said that she had told the HSE that it must get approval from the Health and Finance departments before proceeding with the project.
"Any new IT project in the health area will have to go through a process of thorough evaluation," she added.
Mr Kenny revealed in the Dail last week that the PPARS payroll system had cost €150 million to date but was only operating in four out of the 11 health board regions. The financial management system, FISP had cost €30 million and was strongly criticised by Finance Department chiefs last month.
It also emerged that millions of euro had been paid to outside consultants in relation to both projects. The roll-out of both projects was suspended by the Health Service Executive (HSE) last week pending an executive review.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern announced today that Government departments will have tighter controls for running computer projects and hiring outside consultants.
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte asked Ms Harney if it was true that the HSE seemed to be undoing all the work of former minister for health Micheal Martin.