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Departmental Strategies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 March 2018

Thursday, 8 March 2018

Ceisteanna (86)

Joan Burton

Ceist:

86. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to enhance the use of data and technology in the delivery of services as set out in his Department's Statement of Strategy 2016-2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10932/18]

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Freagraí scríofa

My department plays a lead role in taking forward two government-approved strategies aimed at enhancing the use of data and technology in the delivery of services.  The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) in my Department, has the overarching brief to strategically leverage ICT within the Public Service to improve outcomes for citizens and businesses.  To this end the OGCIO is leading the implementation of the Public Service ICT Strategy and the eGovernment Strategy 2017-2020.  In this regard, the OGCIO is working with other Departments, public service bodies, and the EU to produce policies, strategies and systems that provide cross-cutting improvements to how public administration is carried out via innovative use of data and technology. 

The Public Service ICT Strategy was approved by Government and, launched in January 2015, is specifically aligned with the objectives of the Public Service Reform Plan and the goals of the Civil Service Renewal Plan.  The Strategy aims to aims to maximise the contribution of ICT to the delivery of public services to the citizen and to business, and to increase the efficiency of interactions across the public service.  Five key strategic objectives make up the framework setting the future direction for innovation and excellence in ICT within the Public Service.  These are: Build to Share; Digital First; Data as an Enabler; Improve Governance; and Increase Capability. An 18 Step Action Plan was developed in 2016 by the Government CIO in collaboration with the ICT Advisory Board.  Good progress continues to be achieved in implementing the Action Plan and the Strategy which is now also reinforced by the eGovernment Strategy 2017-2020. 

The eGovernment Strategy 2017 – 2020 was approved by Government and published in July 2017.  The Strategy is underpinned by the Government’s commitment to be open, flexible and collaborative with our citizens and businesses, using digitisation and technology to increase efficiency and effectiveness and constantly improve public services.  Our eGovernment priorities will be taken forward through the delivery of 10 key actions.  A particular focus of the implementation plan is a programme, put in place with public bodies, to progress the adoption of the Public Services Card and its online equivalent MyGovID which offers a single, secure way to verify people looking to avail of public services.  

The OGCIO is working with public bodies to take forward a significant programme of work related to implementing these strategies some elements of which are set out hereunder.  The first version of a government digital services portal, www.gov.ie, was launched at the end of 2017 and provides an intuitive interface which acts as a simple signposting site to a catalogue of all Government digital services.  In collaboration with the Government’s Strategic Communications Unit, the service will continue to be developed, adding more information and functionality for citizens and businesses, and using appropriate consultation within Government and with other stakeholders, including the public and/or their representatives. 

In addition, my officials are working to progress the Data Sharing and Governance Bill.  The purpose of this Bill is to promote and encourage data-sharing between public bodies by providing a statutory framework for data sharing for legitimate and clearly specified purposes that are compliant with Data Protection legislation; and to improve the protection of individual privacy rights by setting new governance standards for data sharing by public bodies.  Work is also ongoing to build on and promote the use of common data models across Government, such as the Public Service Identity dataset and Eircodes, that underpin our data protection obligations, the provision of digitised and streamlined services, and the linking of data to improve decision making.

In July 2017 the Open Data Strategy 2017-2022 was published which builds on the substantial achievements made in implementing the Open Data Initiative and sets out a roadmap for continued progress and development.  The concept of Open Data is about making data held by public bodies available freely and easily accessible online for reuse and redistribution.  The initiative aims to create an environment where, by opening up Government data, new opportunities for research, innovation, transparency, engagement and greater efficiency are delivered and realised by public bodies, businesses, researchers and citizens.  Measures to achieve this include a centralised Open Data portal, data.gov.ie, which provides access to official data in open format, development of a Technical Framework to underpin the publication of such data in line with best practice internationally and to ensure it is interoperable, establishment of an Open Data Governance Board to lead the initiative, outreach and engagement with public bodies and other stakeholders.  The deputy may wish to be aware that Ireland has achieved first place in the European Commission's Open Data Maturity assessment for 2017.

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