Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Oct 2001

Vol. 542 No. 2

Written Answers. - Information Society.

Dick Spring

Question:

156 Mr. Spring asked the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Ireland is ranked 20th out of 30 countries in a survey on leading information societies (detail supplied); and the plans the Government has to ensure that Ireland's position in this important sector improves. [24168/01]

The Taoiseach

The IDC-World Times information society index was initially cited in the 1996 report of the information society steering committee. It has been noted subsequently in the Information Society Commission's reports to Government. The index measures variables in 55 countries under the headings of computer, information, Internet and social infrastructures. In 1996, Ireland was placed in the third division in twenty-third position. The 2001 index ranked Ireland in the second division, in twentieth position out of the 55 countries surveyed.

In its third report produced in December last, the outgoing Information Society Commission made a range of recommendations to Government in terms of taking the information society agenda forward. These recommendations emphasised the importance of taking ownership of information society issues at the highest level; of a strong co-ordination focus across Departments and agencies; and of a high concentration on implementation and enforcement.

Building on these recommendations, the Government agreed in June of this year on a range of measures to strengthen its approach to information society issues. Along with the appointment of a new Information Society Commission, these measures provide for the establishment of a Cabinet committee on the information society, and of a complementary e-strategy group at Secretary General level. These new structures are designed to deliver a more coherent overall approach, at the highest level of Government, to formulation and implementation of policy on a wide range of issues that increasingly cut across traditional departmental boundaries.

The European Commission has also begun an important benchmarking exercise under the eEurope initiative – including measuring progress with delivery of e-government services, which are increasingly being used internationally as a strong indicator of wider information society development. I have prioritised progress in this area, and have emphasised the importance of Ireland performing strongly in this EU exercise. It is encouraging in this context to note that Irish Government websites were recently rated best in the EU by the third Internet intelligence study, conducted by the Amsterdam-Maastricht Summer University in conjunction with PoliticsOnline.

Ireland also performs strongly in the World Competitiveness Yearbook of the Swiss-based IMD. This ranks 49 industrialised and emerging economies using 286 different criteria in the areas of economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure. Ireland is placed at seventh position in the 2001 rankings.