Health Service to shelve faulty payroll system

The Health Service Executive is expected today to temporarily shelve its faulty payroll system until it is properly re-examined.

It is believed HAS chiefs gathering for a scheduled board meeting will decide to suspend the roll-out of the controversial P-PARS technology until its viability is assessed.

Opposition TDs have slammed the system which has so far cost €116m, including up to €70m on external consultants.

Health minister Mary Harney claimed in the Dail last night that the system was unable to manage aspects of the health service’s sprawling 140,000 workforce, including the 30,000 rosters and 1,000 different pay levels.

Opposition TDs angry at the waste of taxpayers’ money have now switched their focus to the €70m spent on outside consultants since 1998.

Last year Deloitte and Touche received €13.5m in consultancy fees for work on P-PARS.

Ms Harney, deputising for the Taoiseach in the Dáil this morning, is expected to face further opposition fury on the issue.