Harney says PPARS work not linked to election

Minister for Health Mary Harney has insisted that the timing of interim work on the controversial PPARS computer system "has absolutely nothing to do with the general election next summer".

But a final decision on the system, which has cost the Exchequer about €130 million to date, will not be made until interim work is completed.

Labour's health spokeswoman Liz McManus claimed it would take at least nine months - "well beyond the next election".

However, insisting that the timing had nothing to do with the election, Ms Harney told the Dáil that "to suggest or speculate otherwise is wholly without foundation and an injustice to the HSE board and its management".

The Minister said during health questions that the HSE had to precisely "define its human resource and payroll requirements" and maximise the system's efficiency.

A project group to carry out the work following the HSE review would establish the "estimated cost of the work" and "the further roll-out of the PPARS project has been deferred until the necessary work has been completed".

Ms McManus said however that "this review follows 10 months after a peer review by the HSE"; she also asked how much more was it going to cost.

Ms Harney said the issue had gone to tender and even if she had an idea of the cost it would be unwise to state it as it could influence the tender.