Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 January 2013
40. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details of the tender contract awarded for the establishment of a website for Ireland's Presidency of the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1133/13]
View answerIn September 2010, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade went to tender for the redevelopment of its websites to include the Department’s own website, the website for Irish Aid and, as an option, the development of a website for the EU Presidency. The tender was advertised through the e-tenders portal as an EU-wide procurement. The winning tender was from Terminal4 in collaboration with iQContent, and a contract was agreed in October 2011.
In line with the communications strategy for the Presidency, the Department decided to exercise the option for a Presidency website and Terminal4 were asked to submit proposals. After further negotiations, a programme of work was agreed and a supplementary contract was signed in December 2011. In planning the Presidency it was agreed that responsibility for the website development project sat best with the Department of the Taoiseach, and in line with provisions in the contract, the project was formally assigned to that Department in February 2012.
The website is available both for desktops and in a mobile form, and in four languages (English, Irish, French and German). It is the portal for all media and official accreditation, streams major events live, and is also used to showcase Ireland to international audiences. It is the key communications tool for the Irish Presidency of the EU.
With over 2,500 pages on the site, eu2013.ie is the primary source of information for all of the high-level meetings held in Ireland and Brussels and for breaking news during our Presidency. It was launched on 17 December 2012 and in its first four weeks it received around 80000 visits, while the associated Presidency Twitter account already had 3870 followers.
Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union represents an enormous opportunity for our country to take a leadership role in Europe and the Government is determined to conduct an efficient and cost-effective Presidency. The Presidency also offers a great chance both to promote Ireland (we will welcome over 15,000 official visitors to nearly 180 events over six months), and to explain the work of the EU, and of the Presidency, to a domestic audience. The website is at the heart of all these efforts.
