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APPENDIX XXXI.OFFICE OF REVENUE COMMISSIONERS.FULLTIME OPERATION OF ELECTRONIC COMPUTER.An Cléireach, An Coiste um Chuntais Phoiblí. At the meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts on 2nd December, 1965, in connection with the Appropriation Accounts 1963-64, Office of the Revenue Commissioners, I undertook to furnish a note about the question of extending the hours of operation of the electronic computer in the Income Tax Offices in O’Connell St., Dublin, and about the possibility of its being used for the work of other Departments. The electronic computer was installed in the Collector-General’s Office in June, 1963. During the subsequent gradual build up of computer work the installation did not become fully loaded on an 8-hour day basis until the middle of 1964. Subsequently the work load was further increased until by early 1965 the computer was in use for 12 hours daily, that is a normal day and a half. It has now become necessary, however, to increase further the daily operating time of the computer in order to deal adequately with the volume of current work and also to undertake a pilot scheme in connection with a proposed mechanisation of P.A.Y.E.; and this involves providing for attendance continuously from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. The computer is accordingly now operating for 15 hours daily—and this will continue until 1968, when it is hoped to replace the present installation by a more advanced model which will be capable on an 8-hour day basis of dealing with all P.A.Y.E. work, as well as the work already mechanised. It is unlikely that it will be necessary to resort to 24-hour working at any time. The use of computers on an around-the-clock basis for large-scale routine work is not usually feasible owing to lack of canteen and transport facilities for the operators, the majority of whom are female. In Britain, where computer installations are relatively common, it has been found that only a small proportion of commercial users operate on a 24-hour basis. It is probable that such a basis would be feasible only in concerns which work around-the-clock for other purposes. At present some small-scale operations are carried out on the computer for the Meteorological Office and the Department of Education. The question of taking on additional outside work has not so far arisen. The scheme for the proposed new computer installation to be available in 1968 envisages an 8-hour daily operation initially for the Revenue work described above. There will be consultations with the Department of Finance as to the feasibility of doing additional work for the Revenue and for other Departments by having recourse to extended hours of operation. It will be borne in mind, however, that there is some cost element in working a computer on the basis of extended hours. If the computer is hired additional hiring charges arise. If it has been purchased the rate of depreciation is accelerated and the cost of maintenance rises. In either case there is the question of compensating staff for special attendances. (Signed) S. RÉAMONN, Chairman
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