Vol. 478 No. 1
205 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Social Welfare his views on whether it would be appropriate to make the new Kiosk Based Integrated Multi-Media Services Access for Clients (KIMSAC) technology available through the network of Citizens Advice Bureaus operated by his Department or more generally through the various networks of independent, information-providing organisations. [10406/97]
KIMSAC (Kiosk-based Integrated Multimedia Service Access for Citizens) is a part EU-funded research project under the EU's 4th framework programme. My Department is one of ten partners in the project consortium, which includes a number of Irish and overseas research companies and universities. The project runs for three years from September 1995 to August 1998.
The main aim of the project is to investigate how emerging technologies in the IT industry might be used to develop new kinds of user-friendly computer interactions, enabling customers to gain easy access to information and services. Involvement in the project will, therefore, enable my Department to progress one of its key business responsibilities, that of providing an efficient service, offering reliable advice and information, with full regard to customers' varying needs and circumstances. Two user trials will take place during the project lifetime, and will be managed by my Department. The first trial is currently operational in three Social Welfare local offices, where customers are being invited to use the KIMSAC system to inquire on their entitlements under the Social Welfare and FÁS codes. They do this by using a touch-sensitive screen to select from a range of options which are presented to them using a variety of multimedia elements.
The second trial is scheduled for early next year, and will build on the results of the first trial, and include an increased number of services. The trial locations will be extended to FÁS local offices.
