Bank of Ireland was taking no chances when it built its multi-million pound computer centre in Cabinteely in the early 1970s. The centre houses an underground bunker where the computer back-up is stored. Immune to fire and flooding, the bunker was also built to withstand 6.6 on the Richter scale.

At least one recent visitor was impressed. Former US presidential candidate H. Ross Perot, in Dublin last week to announce a joint venture agreement between the bank and his company, declared it was the first time he had been into an underground computer centre owned by a private company.

The former boy scout was no doubt pleased to see his new business partners subscribing to the motto "be prepared".