Vol. 509 No. 2
2 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]
3 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the number of people who will work 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]
4 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]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 to 4, inclusive, 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 the benefits of the information society are availed of by Irish citizens and businesses. That is reflected in the Government's Action Plan on the Information Society published earlier this year and 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 level and by a four person team. This latter group, the Information Society Policy Development Team, works closely with CMOD in the Department of Finance and liaises as appropriate with expertise elsewhere in the civil and public services.
The team, the full complement of which has been in place only 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 this year, and prepared draft guidelines for Government websites to be issued this month, following consultation with Departments. The current main focus is on assessing resource requirements for action plan projects.
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 this year subject to the assessment process. 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 in the Official Report a full list of the projects to which this funding relates.
This funding will be managed by the Department of Finance, not by the Information Society Commission. The Information Society Commission, like other Departments and agencies, will be allocated funding in respect of particular initiatives for which it is responsible under the action plan.
This funding relates only to anticipated expenditure on the projects in question to the end of 1999. Projects in question must be assessed and 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 in the coming years. The amount of expenditure required is currently being assessed with a view to determining requirements for the Estimates in 2000.
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, NCTE. This year the Information Society Commission has teamed up with the NCTE to expand on the activities of previous years by involving not only 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 to involve the broader community in the initiative.
The Information Society Commission will also launch a millennium project, e-wish 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 a broadcast sponsor.
Schedule of Resources of Projects* Commencing in 1999
|
Department |
Project |
Spending in 1999 |
£ |
Euro |
|
Agriculture Food and Rural Development |
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 & 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 |
||
|
Environment 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 |
|
|
Department |
Project |
Spending in 1999 |
£ |
Euro |
|
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 InitiativeCitizens database |
100,000200,000 |
126,974253,948 |
|
|
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 |
||
|
Netd@ys |
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.
The Web Address for the Department of the Taoiseach 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, Food and Rural Development |
Feasibility and implementation of projects to provide departmental services electronicallyProvision 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 |
|
Department |
Project |
|
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 |
|
Department |
Project |
|
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 electronicallyProject 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 |
|
|
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 |
Does the Taoiseach agree that the creation of an information society will create new forms of potential social exclusion? Does he agree three categories of people are likely to be excluded from the mainstream of society – older people who do not have the skills or the confidence to use the Internet, people who come from less well off households who cannot afford to buy a computer and people who do not have a typing skill and may not be able to use e-mail with the same speed and effectiveness as those who have that skill? Does the Taoiseach agree that the Information Society Commission should be given a targeted mandate to come up with solutions for those three identifiable groups, rather than the general mandate it seems to have where it can be in favour of motherhood and apple pie and yet be a marketing executive's dream in terms of the new ideas that can be sold in the name of the information society? We need to get to grips with the real problems rather than this type of general stuff. An e-wish for the millennium seems to be absolute rubbish.
I will pass on the Deputy's comments about e-wish.
That type of stuff is abusing taxpayers' money.
It is not for me to defend it.
The Taoiseach is responsible for it.
I am not. This is their way of trying to get children in the education system to show imagination under IT 2000, to use it in public libraries and to create an awareness of it. The Deputy is entitled to his opinion that it is rubbish, but they are entitled to try to promote it.
They are spending taxpayers' money.
There are a number of projects but children who are excluded will not become part of an initiative if there is no idea behind it. That is what they are trying to do and I will not criticise them for that. The Deputy asked them to serve on a board and to give their professional time free to come up with initiatives.
Older people will be excluded because I cannot see them using the schemes in the libraries. There is a series of issues under the plan and they hope they receive attention, particularly among community and voluntary groups. Perhaps they are not doing enough in the older groups and I will raise that point with them. They have a series of measures for people who are unemployed, on training and community employment schemes, in FÁS centres and for those involved in community projects. Paragraphs 19 to 22 and 63 to 65 are lengthy to read out. I will raise the point about the elderly to see if anything further can be done in that area.
What about people who have no typing skills and lower socio-economic groups which cannot afford a computer?
Almost all the centres are well resourced with modern technology for community groups and people in deprived areas. Part of the model under the European Social Fund for many years was that funding would not be available in these particular areas unless technology was part of it. I am not sure when that came in, but it is there a long time and is now in the drugs initiative area. The programme also caters for people who come off drugs. The Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation insisted on that, as did the ESF. I will raise with them the Deputy's point about the elderly.
Does the Government use the knowledge acquired on the information society abroad? Is the Taoiseach aware of hiccups in the information given by leaders in China, for example, who promote the information age society? He did not mention in his reply that Ennis is our information age town. His officials did not ask it for information when Deputy John Bruton tabled his question.
It cannot see outside the M50.
Reports were given by Mr. McGing and other people that an information age society town in Ireland has 60,000 people, that the Government gave computers to every household and that all young and old people are computer proficient. Does the Taoiseach agree that giving such information to people when he is promoting Ireland abroad is not the best thing to do when it is not the truth?
I am not sure what the Deputy is asking me.
He is telling the Taoiseach something he should know but does not.
I heard what he said but I am not sure what he is asking me.
When the Minister for Public Enterprise, Deputy O'Rourke, and her party leave this country to promote Irish industry, for example, is a subordinate entitled to claim that every household in an information age town in Ireland with 60,000 people – I do not know where that is – has a computer and that old and young are proficient on it? That is how far advanced we are on information technology. Yet when Deputy John Bruton asked the Taoiseach about the elderly, the question was dismissed. Old people and those who are sick or who cannot go out to shop are back of the lamp. I want to know the Taoiseach's views on this, not the views of his officials in Merrion Street who have not given him the full information.
I was given the information in Dublin Castle which is where the Information Society Commissioner is based. I hope the Deputy supports what happened in Ennis and the resources put into it. I do not know what information is used about it.
The Taoiseach should look to his ministerial colleagues who are not supportive.
I hope the elderly are proficient in computer skills, including the Deputy. If anything else can be done to promote it, we will try to do so.
I missed what the Taoiseach said but I will get it on the record of the House. I hope it was all right as I will use it in the local newspaper.
It was.
It will take the Taoiseach time to shake hands with the rest of Ennis.
I am told it is the fastest growing town in the country.
Since I became Deputy for Ennis, and that was 1982.
