Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2013
103. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the situation regarding to the national digital strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20236/13]
View answerThe National Digital Strategy will be published in the coming weeks and will set out a strong policy framework for greater adoption and use of digital technologies. The overarching objectives will be to increase digital skills and consequent employment opportunities, assist in overall economic growth and job creation and facilitate the objective of delivering a wide range of public services in a more cost-effective way. The Digital Strategy will be implemented as an iterative process. Phase 1 will focus on the key areas of enterprise, e-Learning, citizen adoption and fostering an indigenous digital industry.
On more specific terms, the focus of the Strategy will be: To support traditional enterprises to realise the full opportunities of online transactions and trade; To achieve the full benefits of digital in the classroom, through the completion of the rollout of 100Mbps to all second level schools in Ireland (by end 2013 we will be two thirds the way through that programme); To provide continued support for Ireland’s digital enterprises and entrepreneurs; and To empower citizens by encouraging and assisting them to achieve more of the benefits of Internet engagement. The Strategy will focus on the key areas of connectivity, capability, content and community and it is my objective that with continued private and public investment in broadband infrastructure combined with increased skills and knowledge and the rapid development of more applications we can create significantly increased levels of digital participation among all sectors of society.
The NDS should be seen as a further element of the Government’s overall approach to fostering increased access to and use of digital services, complementing as it does the existing National Broadband Plan, last year’s e-Government Strategy and the recent National Payments Plan.
The trading on-line element of the Strategy will also complement the disruptive reform initiative in this area which is included in the 2013 Action Plan for Jobs.
To help drive and deliver these ambitious objectives, last December I appointed David Puttnam as our first national Digital Champion. We are lucky to have such a passionate, articulate and influential advocate for the possibilities of digital, particularly in the education sector. Working with the Department, he will be engaging with the various sectors over the coming months, with a view to driving the digital agenda and specifically pursuing some key goals that will be set out in the National Digital Strategy.
