Dáil Éireann - Volume 508 - 29 September, 1999 - Written Answers.


	HOME Baile
	DEBATES Díospóireachtaí
	DÁIL DEBATES Díospóireachtaí Dála
	SEANAD DEBATES Díospóireachtaí Seanaid
	SEARCH Cuardach
	ABOUT THIS SITE Faoin Suíomh Seo
	LINKS Nascanna

Dáil Éireann - Volume 508 - 29 September, 1999

Written Answers. - Information Society.

Mr. J. Bruton Mr. J. Bruton

63. Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the projects to be supported by the additional £7.7 million allocated to the Information Society Development Fund in July 1999; the amount expended since then; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17401/99]

Mr. J. Bruton Mr. J. Bruton

64. Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the number of people who will be working on the Information Society Policy Development Team; the work programme of the team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17404/99]

The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern

The Taoiseach: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 64 together.

The information society represents enormous opportunities and challenges for Ireland. The Government is keenly aware of the importance of ensuring that Ireland takes full advantage of modern information and communications technologies, or ICTs, both in the fields of e-commerce and e-government. We need to respond quickly to make sure that the benefits of the information society are availed of by Irish citizens and Irish businesses. That is reflected in the Government's Action Plan on the Information Society – published earlier this year and also accessible on my Department's website.

In accordance with the recommendations of the action plan, implementation is monitored and guided by an interdepartmental group with representation at Assistant Secretary General level and a four person team – the Information Society Policy Development team, which works closely with CMOD in the Department of Finance and liaises as appropriate with other expertise elsewhere in the civil and public service.

The team, the full complement of which has only been in place since summer, has produced a progress report on the action plan; worked with Departments to identify resource requirements for action plan projects for the remainder of 1999; and prepared draft guidelines for Government websites – to be issued next month, following consultation with Departments. The current main focus is on assessing resource requirements for action plan projects for next year and beyond.

In July, the Government agreed to the interim allocation of approximately £7.7 million for projects arising under the action plan for the remainder of 1999. These include projects to provide internet access to the public through the local library network, electronic filing of tax returns, and “Netd@ys”, an Information Society Commission initiative to promote Internet awareness. I am circulating a full list of the projects to which this funding relates.

133

[133] I would clarify that this funding will be managed by the Department of Finance, not by the Information Society Commission. The Information Society Commission will, like other Departments and agencies, be allocated funding in respect of particular initiatives for which it is responsible under the action plan.

134

This funding relates only to anticipated expenditure on the projects in question to the end of 1999. Projects in question must be assessed and [134] approved by an evaluation team which includes representation from the Department of Finance and my Department. The evaluation process is under way at present.

In approving funding for 1999, the Government also agreed in principle to further substantial expenditure on information society projects over the coming years. The amount of expenditure required is currently being assessed with a view to determining requirements for the 2000 Estimates.

Schedule of Resources for Projects* Commencing in 1999


Department	Project	Spending in 1999	£



Agriculture and Food	Preliminary work on e-commerce Projects	50,000	63,487
Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands	Installation of websites	80,000	101,579
Central Statistics Office	Access to statistics databases via Internet	80,000	101,579
Education and Science	Secure Intranet for Education Sector	150,000	190,461
	Rapid application of Education Technology Investment Fund and Schools IT 2000	70,000	88,882
	Education and Training On-line Project	600,000	761,843
Enterprise, Trade and Employment	Department Interface Projects-Business database	174,000	220,934
	Accelerate e-commerce activity among SMEs	200,000	253,948
	Information Society Services Section	50,000	63,487
Environmental and Local Government	Electronic Local Government	250,000	317,435
	Provision of Internet Access in Libraries	1,000,000	1,269,738
Health and Children	National Client Eligibility Index	750,000	952,304
Health and Children Social community and Family Affairs	GRO Initiative	70,000	88,882
Justice, Equality and Law Reform	Measures to alleviate the illegal and harmful use of the Internet	30,000	38,092
	Electronic evidence in Courts – investigate scope for early enactment of legislation	30,000	38,092
Land Registry	ICT based delivery of services. Preliminary work on electronic payments	30,000	38,092
Office of Public Works	Preliminary work on e-commerce projects	60,000	76,184
Public Enterprise	International Connectivity Project	500,000	634,869
	Broadband Projects	1,500,000	1,904,607
	North-South Digital Corridor	50,000	63,487
	Electronic Signatures & Certification	50,000	63,487
	Market Observatory	50,000	63,487
	Sub Marine Licensing	50,000	63,487
	Infrastructure and Regulatory Legislation	50,000	63,487
	Electronic Services from DPE, including website development	50,000	63,487
	Research	100,000	126,974
	Associated staffing costs (including Telecoms attachés)	250,000	317,435
Revenue	Electronic filing of tax returns	250,000	317,435
Social, Community and Family Affairs	REACH Initiative	100,000	126,974
	Citizens database	200,000	253,948
Taoiseach (including Information Society Commission)	Secure intranet for Government Secretariat	50,000	63,487
	E-mail for all	500,000	634,869
	Information Society Policy Implementation Team	90,000	114,276
	Netdays	150,000	190,461
Total		7,664,000	9,731,273

*The full implementation of many of these projects will require substantial funding in future years.

135

[135] The Department of the Taoiseach's web address is: www.irlgov.ie/taoiseach.Publications, including: Implementing the Information Society in Ireland: An Action Plan and Progress Implementing the Information Society – Second Report of the Interdepartmental Implementation Group can be downloaded from the site.

Indicative List of Projects for Consideration for funding in 2000

Department	Project
Agriculture and Food	Feasibility and implementation of projects to provide Departmental services electronically Provision of Internal E-Mail and Intranet
Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands	On line sales system for heritage sites and cultural institutions Interactive schools programme for heritage sites Gaeltacht client database
Enterprise, Trade and Employment	Electronic filing of annual returns by insurance companies Filing of returns by credit unions electronically Redundancy and insolvency payments project
Environment and Local Government	Planning details available electronically System to enhance electronic democracy Pilot project on alternate approach to broadband communications facilities to the citizen
Finance, Local Government and Health Agencies	Public Procurement Information Delivered Electronically
Foreign Affairs	Information Database-Provision of information to citizens and businesses abroad Consular service project-secure intranet to incorporate facilities to enable digitised/electronic processing of passports and visas
Health and Children	Pharmacist pilot project for submission of GMS claims electronically Project involving issue of smart cards to individuals to determine limits in relation to pharmacy costs
Office of Public Works	Development of web enabled property management service Interactive marketing of Dublin Castle Conference Centre Availability of statistical data electronically pertaining to drainage and flood relief schemes
Public Enterprise	Communications Infrastructure Group-Establish industry communications infrastructure group Draft legislation on telecommunications infrastructure installation/access
136 [136] Department	Project
Revenue	Phased release of further elements of ROS and other electronic services. Further promotion of Irish position in international developments in e-commerce
Social, Community and Family Affairs	Further development of electronic access to public services
Taoiseach (including Information Society Commission)	An examination of the issues involved in the development of fully integrated public services

Mr. J. Bruton Mr. J. Bruton

65. Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will provide details of the events to be supported by the Information Society Commission during the Netd@ys initiative in November 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17402/99]

The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern

The Taoiseach: Netd@ys is an annual, international initiative to promote the effective use of

interactive media in learning and teaching. In previous years, the initiative has been co-ordinated in schools in Ireland by the National Centre for Technology in Education. This year, the Information Society Commission has teamed up with the NCTE to expand on the activities of previous years by involving not just the schools but the community at large.

Netd@ys 1999 will run from 13 to 21 November. Schools, libraries and other commercial and voluntary organisations are being encouraged to open their doors to the public over that period so that people can access and learn about the internet The commission has also hired five mobile computer laboratories – or computer gyms, as they are known – which will be located at various places around the country to provide additional access points for the public.

Information material is being developed by the commission, in conjunction with the NCTE, to assist organisations participating in the initiative. Special information packs are also being prepared specifically for schools, which will include suggested ways of involving the broader community in the initiative.

The Information Society Commission will also launch a millennium project – “eWish for a new millennium” – to encourage people to access a special website and to record their personal wish for Ireland as we enter the new millennium. In this way, a permanent record of the wishes of the Irish people will be created and a representative selection will be published on CD and on the internet

In addition to a contribution of £150,000 by the Government towards the Netd@ys initiative, the Commission has also secured sponsorship from Eircom to help with the costs of the school packs, hiring the computer gyms and advertising, and RTE has agreed to become broadcast sponsor.

Dáil Éireann 508 Written Answers. Information Society.

Questions

19990929