North's electronic record-keeping scheme £15m over budget
A criminal justice record keeping scheme in the North has gone £15m (€16.8m) over budget, it was revealed today.
The Causeway Programme replaces paper files with electronic ones and makes it easier to pass information between organisations.
It is expected to cost £58m (€65m), Security Minister Paul Goggins disclosed in Westminster.
Conservative Party Northern Ireland spokesman Owen Paterson said: “This represents another government project that has gone hugely over budget – more than 35% in this case.
“The public will not understand why taxpayers’ money is being treated in this way at a time when all households have to watch every penny they spend.”
The plan was to replace paper records with electronic ones because there were problems keeping track of where they were or whether they were up to date under the old system, potentially causing delays and mistakes.
Mr Goggins said the increase arose from the complexity of integrating six agencies’ separate computer and business systems.
Contract changes and programme development and office costs arising from the delay also contributed.
The minister said: “Following the end of the programme, additional enhancements to the system – originally intended to be part of the programme - may be taken forward through one-off projects, subject to stringent cost and benefit analysis.”
The contract for Causeway was awarded to Fujitsu in 2003. Former Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy said victims and witnesses will see their cases dealt with more promptly and find it easier to obtain accurate information on the progress of their case.
He added defendants will spend less time on bail or remand, convicted prisoners will be inducted into a correct prison regime immediately on conviction and lawyers, judges and magistrates will see fewer cases adjourned because of incorrect or late information.
He also promised a reduction in the cost of administering justice and speedier processing of criminals.
A Northern Ireland Office (NIO) spokesman said today: “On implementation it will be one of only three fully-integrated criminal justice case handling systems in the world.”
