Vol. 544 No. 3
4 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the progress of the eCabinet process to date; the services for which a company (details supplied) have been paid over £100,000 to date in respect of this project; when the project is likely to be completed; the total capital and current cost of implementing the recommendations; and the exact benefits expected to be derived from this activity. [21003/01]
The eCabinet Project was initiated by Government last year. Following a competitive tender process, PricewaterhouseCoopers were retained last December to undertake phase one of the project – which is the feasibility study.
Their task is to identify how modern information and communications technologies might be beneficially applied to the Cabinet process. Specifically, they have been asked to focus on particular aspects of the Cabinet process. These are: electronic distribution and management of Cabinet papers; use of technologies in direct support of Cabinet meetings; use of technologies to improve presentation of complex issues at Cabinet; and creation of new information resources.
Substantial progress has been made. The consultants have articulated a model for eCabinet setting out how they would propose it would work and the benefits it would deliver. Consultations have taken place with key stakeholders and presentations have been made to the Cabinet and to Secretaries General. Briefings have been offered to the leaders of the Fine Gael and Labour parties. The consultants' report is nearing completion. The current focus for the consultants and the officials concerned is on the options for implementation, which of course will determine the eventual costs of the project. Once this has been addressed the final report will issue. I would envisage that the report will be finalised and go to Government this month. Thereafter, depending on the recommendations in the report, we envisage going to market for the implementation phase. All going well, we hope to be in a position to initiate a pilot scheme involving the Cabinet Secretariat and one or more Departments by early 2003.
Numerous benefits have been identified. These include efficiencies which will be gained from electronic dissemination of documentation, improvements in presentation and content of memoranda, clearer presentation of information, quicker and more efficient workflows and of course substantial savings in paper.
The cost to date of consultancy on this phase of the project – which is being funded from the Government's Information Society Fund – is £91,930, inclusive of VAT. Given the numerous components and various possible permutations for the model and different possible approaches to its implementation as well as the security requirements of the project, it will not be possible to indicate the likely costs for the implementation phase until this element of the study, currently in progress, has been finalised.
