The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, ail that said he was continuing to urge Government Departments and their agencies to deal with the problems which could arise at the millennium over the adjustment of computers.
"I've gone through the individual departments. I will continue to do that because the difficulties that could be caused in our payments system, in our receipts system, in our records system, could be very grave.
I have continued to urge both the central group working in the Department of Finance and the departments, the agencies, to deal with the issue."
The Taoiseach was replying to Mr John Bruton (FG) about the adjustment of computers for 2000. He asked Mr Ahern was he aware that Mr Tony Blair had described this as a civil emergency; that Mr Niall Fitzgerald, of Unilever, who was Irish, had said the millennium problem could lead to a worldwide recession.
Mr Ahern said he had spoken to Mr Fitzgerald. Mr Fitzgerald and others believed this would create a world recession. "I hope he's incorrect."
Mr Ruairi Quinn (Labour) said: "Could I suggest, sir, that rather than have the inquiry somewhere around the year 2002 as to what went wrong, that it might be useful, in consultation with the whips, to decide which would be the appropriate committee of the House that senior civil servants could report to and to put them on record in front of us now."
Mr Ahern said he thought it was a good suggestion.