Written Answers. - Information Society.
John McGuinness
Question:
168
Mr. McGuinness
asked the
Minister for Finance
the amount of funding dedicated to the development of systems to deliver e-government within and between Departments, and from Departments to the end user or the general public; and the policy in this area.
[10186/00]
Overall Government policy on the development of the information society is set out in the report 'Implementing the Information Society in Ireland: An Action Plan' published by the Department of An Taoiseach in January 1999. The early development of e-government in delivering electronic services to citizens and businesses is a key element of the action plan and is considered vital to the development of the Information Society in Ireland. The action plan is available on the Department of An Taoiseach's web site – www.irlgov.iétaoiseach.
In response to the action plan, my Department has established a special dedicated fund, the information society fund, designed to support the development and implementation of e-government and e-commerce 'flagship' projects identified in the action plan and to encourage and facilitate Departments, and bodies under their aegis, to progress the information society agenda. Proposals for funding from Departments are assessed by the information society fund evaluation team which is chaired by my Department and which includes representation from the Department of An Taoiseach. All Departments are eligible to apply for funding for projects which demonstrably progress the objectives of the action plan.
In 1999, an amount of £1.7 million was allocated to projects from the information society fund and, at this stage, approximately £13 million of the £30 million available for 2000 has so far been approved for expenditure for 24 projects spanning 11 departments and offices. Examples of the projects being supported by the information society fund include: Land Registry's on-line electronic search service of property folios, the first phase of which has been implemented; the Revenue on-line service, ROS, to provide for the electronic filing of tax returns due to be introduced by the Revenue Commissioners in September; computerisation of the General Register Office to provide for on-line registration of events, data search facilities and the production of certificates; development of a central client eligibility index for the health sector; development of an electronic filing system for the submission of annual returns to Government by insurance companies; scoping studies in the justice area concerning the electronic lodgement of documents by solicitors to the Courts Service, the electronic payment of fines over the Internet and the provision of an on-line small claims court facility for members of the public; awareness campaigns for citizens and businesses co-ordinated by the information society commission; provision of Internet access points in all public libraries; development of an on-line citizens database by the National Social Services Board to provide a single point for information associated with the life-events of a citizen, for example, getting married, applying for a university grant, purchasing a house, becoming unemployed; development of an e-recruitment facility by the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission; e-procurement for the public service to provide for the publication of procurement opportunities and the on-line submission of tenders – this project is being overseen by an interdepartmental steering committee chaired by the Department of Finance; and the REACH organisation recently established by Government under the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs with the objective of developing a common approach across Departments and agencies for the delivery of electronic services to citizens.
I understand that the third progress report of the interdepartmental group for the information society will soon be published by the Department of An Taoiseach and this will provide further information on e-government and information society projects being implemented under the action plan. My Department fully appreciates the opportunities for Ireland in the information society and continues to promote the application of new technologies by Departments and offices in enhancing efficiency in their day-to-day business activities and in supporting the delivery of quality services to the public.
