Waterford Wedgwood, unlike many other Irish public companies, gives comprehensive details of its programme to deal with potential Year 2000 computer problems.

The cost, excluding ongoing investment in new systems, is estimated at €2.8 million (£2.2 million), most of which has already been incurred.

Its programme has three phases. Phase two is almost completed and phase three is well advanced.

The status of phase two in the middle of June indicated that 84 per cent of critical computer systems in information systems were compliant and 98 per cent of critical plant systems in embedded chips were compliant.

The group notes no external group is giving 100 per cent guarantees of continued services, which gives rise to the contingency planning in phase three.

Even the best run operations, it adds, will face some Year 2000 compliance failures.