Vol. 520 No. 4
8 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the number of copies of the report distributed by his Department, Irish Business in the Information Society - 1999, Research into General Public Attitudes Towards Information and Communications Technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15761/00]
In 1999 the Information Society Commission engaged MRBI to carry out two research surveys on attitudes towards and usage of information and communications technology, one covering the general public and one on the business community.
The main findings from these survey results have been published in a series of seven thematic papers, three on the general public and four on the business community. For both surveys the first papers published covered the topline results. The topline results for the general public were published in October 1999 and for the business community in December 1999.
Subsequent papers dealt with specific areas of interest. In February, findings on early and late adopters of new technology were published, followed in March by the results of research on people's attitudes and expectations. For the business community, findings relating to electronic working, or teleworking, were published in April. In May, two papers were published, one dealing with Internet access and usage within Irish businesses and one addressing skills and training.
As regards dissemination of the results, given the nature of the Information Society Commission's business, electronic media have been used to the greatest extent possible. Electronic versions of the research papers were posted to the website of the Information Society Commission and can be viewed or downloaded from that site.
In addition, these survey results were the subject of a communications campaign which involved issuing press releases outlining the main results of the surveys, which has resulted in considerable and on-going media coverage and detailing the survey results in the Information Society Commission's monthly electronic newsletter which is e-mailed to approximately 2,500 recipients.
I am sure Deputies will agree that it makes sense to use electronic means of communication as much as possible in this area. At the same time, it is recognised that paper copies are also needed. The commission produces a stock of each brochure and approximately 800 paper copies were distributed by post to relevant individuals, including Deputies and Senators. In addition, hard copies of the research papers are made available at appropriate events, seminars and conferences countrywide.
Given the number of different channels used, it is difficult to estimate the number of individuals who have been in receipt of these survey results. However, there is no doubting the importance of this research in providing reliable indicators of Ireland's development as an information society and in guiding the Information Society Commission and others in the development of policy in this area.
The nature of the information society is such that it touches on many areas of policy and information such as that revealed by the surveys and is very useful to the relevant Ministers and Departments with responsibility for the various areas.
Is it not the case that while generally findings have been favourable, one area where the findings have not been so favourable is the use of websites by Irish businesses to sell their goods and services world-wide and that Irish businesses have been slowing in designing and developing their own websites for that purpose? E-commerce, in a certain way, may be being efficiently used by Irish businesses for buying things but not so efficiently used for selling things.
That is true. The use of websites for on-line sales is relatively low according to the surveys. While the business community is concerned about IT skills shortages, it is not investing adequately in training itself and that is shown up in the survey. It is not investing in its own staff and small and medium sized enterprises have been shown to be at greater risk of being left behind in the e-economy.
It is not an unfair criticism to say, following these results, the papers which went out to them and the opportunity to say this at a number of the seminars held in different parts of the country by IBEC, the small business industry and the Chambers of Commerce during the winter months, that if industry is crying out because of a lack of skills and given that times are not bad for businesses, which could spend some of their own resources and profits in training, they could overcome many of the difficulties because it is in their interests to do so, as highlighted by these surveys.
Deputy Bruton is right in that websites for on-line sales are low. I do not accept the answer that it is because they cannot get skills. They should be trying to train staff themselves.
Is it not the case that one does not need in-house staff to put up a website and that one simply needs to bring in an outside consultant to advise on what needs to go on to the website and what the site needs to do? One's own staff would be able to operate it thereafter as long as they have access to a server. Why are Irish firms apparently quite slow? Is there a degree of complacency here that the economy is so dynamic they do not need to invest in long-term capacity, such as equipping themselves with a good website?
The answer is that which I have given. The answer is what is in the survey. I do not have another answer. The business community is concerned about IT skills shortages and that they have not trained staff. I contend, as Deputy Bruton has, that the setting up and monitoring of a website, and its use for procurement or sales, is not that simple but I do not believe it is that difficult. I have been told by the Information Society Commission and others – we emphasised this in some of the roadshows which the Information Society Commission undertook throughout the country – that a bit of effort, training and investment in this area would overcome their problem. The surveys and the papers show the advantages of this.
On the other hand, from a Government point of view, using websites for procurement is something in which we are actively engaged. I do not want to be critical of the private sector and say that we have overcome this; we have not. This year the Government is putting much resources and effort into procurement policies for local authorities and elsewhere and we have to get that right. For businesses, it is well worth doing this and that is what these papers say very clearly to the business community.
