The computer system that will operate the penalty points project for the Garda should be complete by January 2004, the firm building the system confirmed yesterday.
Fujitsu Consulting, which was awarded the €7.4 million contract, said the project was on track and no development problems had been identified to date.
But Fujitsu said no further details could be released because of a non-disclosure agreement signed with the Garda authorities.
But in a detailed written answer to a recent Dáil question from Fine Gael TD Mr Richard Bruton, the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, admitted the computer project was "substantial and complex".
He said the tender documents had targeted a 15-month timeframe for installation of the system from commencement of the project last October. The closing date for the receipt of the original tenders for the project was June 29th, 2001.
Garda representatives this week threatened not to enforce some elements of the penalty points system until the computer system was operating.
However, Mr McDowell's written answer shows full implementation of the computer system will not begin immediately the system is completed.
Upon completion of the computer project, the new penalty points system would have to be piloted and monitored before a nationwide roll-out by the Garda.
No specific timeframe for the full introduction of the computer system was given by Mr McDowell. Nor was the Minister able to give a final breakdown of the cost. "I am not in a position at this time to indicate to the Deputy the final cost of the project as this will depend . . . on the extent of the changes that will require to be made to the Pulse system as well as the building of electronic interfaces to the National Driver File and the courts computer system," he wrote.
The link between the controversial Garda Pulse computer system and the penalty points computer system will concern proponents of tight financial management.
The Pulse system, which links more than 150 Garda stations, was initially supposed to cost €30 million, but has cost more than €45 million to date.