The Irish Minister responsible for Information Society presents the policies and priorities that has helped Ireland succeed in developing the national economy by harnessing ICT and where it looks to go from here.
The past decade has been a time of huge change for Ireland. We have experienced an unprecedented economic boom and have seen the evolution of a vibrant, modern Republic over this period. While there have been a number of triggers for Ireland’s transformation, one should not underestimate the impact of technology in this process. Technology has enabled much of the change that we have experienced, by allowing people to transact business and interact with Government far more easily than in the past. ICT has allowed Ireland to make significant progress towards the Lisbon Agenda goal of developing a dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy.
The development of a truly inclusive knowledge society in Ireland has been a priority of the Irish Government since the publication of the first action plan on the information society in 1999 and the subsequent publication of “New Connections” in 2002. Since 1999, ICT has been used in public service delivery to improve the citizen’s experience of government and to encourage the use of ICT in all aspects of people’s lives. We have placed an emphasis on improving the delivery of citizen-facing public services and this has contributed to a significant reduction in the administrative burden for citizens and businesses in many areas such as motor taxation and in relation to communicating and transacting business with the Irish Revenue Commissioners.
Of course, ICT has the potential to deliver far more value than simply allowing the citizen or businesses to fulfil obligations to the state. The Irish Government has also explored the potential advantages accruing from the use of technology in helping the citizen to access information about services relevant to their needs. To this end, we have sought to ensure that all citizens and businesses are able to access information and services easily and on a 24/7 basis. To this end, we have established websites such as www.citizensinformation.ie and www.basis.ie which make it easier for all members of Irish society to participate in the knowledge society. We have also established a Government portal - www.reachservices.ie - to provide a single point of contact to Government and public services in Ireland.
However, the ongoing effort to provide public services through electronic channels is only part of the puzzle. We are very conscious that some members of society do not access services through electronic channels – because of a broad range of factors.
While we will need to continue the work of the past decade, our future emphasis needs to shift to ensuring that the knowledge society which we are striving to create is a fully inclusive one, where all citizens are given the opportunity to participate and enjoy the benefits of modern technologies.
e-Inclusion is fundamentally about people being equipped with the access and skills needed to use technologies like the Internet as well as other emerging technologies. The eInclusion agenda has been a priority for me since being appointed Minister for the Information Society and it will remain a priority in the future, especially insofar as it impacts our more vulnerable members of society including older citizens, the disabled and those who may find it difficult to take the first steps into the exciting and rewarding world of the Internet. This agenda has since been reinforced in the context of the EU’s Riga Ministerial Declaration and, at a national level, in the recent Social Partnership agreement, “Towards 2016”.
I have been conscious that the incredible advantages offered by ICT are only truly realised when they reach all citizens. To ensure that we spread the benefits of the knowledge society as widely as possible we have identified the importance of reaching out to the people who do not have access to or the ability to operate these technologies. We have promoted skilling initiatives – through the Access, Skills and Content Initiative - and have supported many groups at national and local levels to help improve the level of engagement with the knowledge society. Over €1.4 million was awarded to a broad range of projects in 2006 which will have a direct benefit to many groups that are at risk of exclusion from the knowledge society – including older people and people with disabilities. Approximately €3.5 million has been awarded to these types of projects since 2004. Applications for funding for 2007 are currently being evaluated and will further contribute to Ireland’s goals for a fully inclusive knowledge society.
There is still a significant amount of work to be done in terms of developing an inclusive knowledge society, but by promoting e-Inclusion we will help all our citizens to participate in the modern Irish society. The benefits of helping citizens to acquire the skills required to become active participants in our ongoing economic development will be felt – both in terms of our economy and society in general - as we move towards 2010.