Property Registration Authority sees 800% rise in processing cases

From 35 to 350 registrations processed a day

Departmental collaboration brings about 'joined up government' – Maeve Kneafsey, MD, Elucidate

19 February 2010: "The rise and rise of eGovernment is having a major effect in cutting costs, making efficiencies and in bringing about 'joined-up government' in the form of interdepartmental collaboration," according to Maeve Kneafsey, Managing Director of Elucidate, co-host of Ireland's eGovernment Awards, run in association with eircom.

Ms Kneafsey made her comments at the 8th annual awards ceremony today, Friday 19th February 2010, where the Local Government Management Agency's website for the Non Principal Private Residence Online Payments Service (www.nppr.ie) won the Overall Ireland eGovernment Award.

"There's a lot of talk nowadays about the need for value for money from the State sector and for the need for greater 'joined up thinking' in the running of the country. However, there has been a silent revolution going on at quite a rapid rate within the State sector in moving so much of their activities online. For example, the Property Registration Authority (PRA) collaborated with the Law Society of Ireland, the Irish Banking Federation, the Revenue Commissioners and the Companies Registration Office to move property registration online that has seen an 800% jump in the processing of applications - that's from just 35 to 350 cases a day."

"Another category winner, Mayo County Council, has been a model in cutting costs and time in the processing of planning submissions via online planning applications. The time taken to submit a planning application in Mayo has dropped from two hours to just a few minutes. Online planning information and especially the provision of the online planning search has reduced customer phone calls by more than 80%. Adding documents online has further reduced call volumes by an estimated 50%. Submission times have dropped from taking forty five minutes to process to less than one minute."

Ms. Kneafsey added, "Today's winners are all very fine examples of what is happening in online government – what I call the 'silent revolution'. It's obvious in these straitened times that the more government can drive activity online the more efficiency and savings will be made resulting in happier citizens. I can't think of any reason why eGovernment is not made one of the Government's biggest policies to bring back economic growth".

The Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin T.D., presented the overall winner at the awards ceremony. Congratulating all of the winning organisations, Minister Hanafin said, "Your work has been key in continuing the modernisation of our public services. I want to acknowledge that, in the area of eGovernment, we have come a long way already and that we are right up there with our peers internationally. In Government we are continually looking at how services are being delivered and how new approaches to improve the electronic delivery of information and services is central to our customers' needs."

Commenting, Colm Hoban, eircom Government Markets Director said - "The range and quality of entries in this year's awards, demonstrates what can be achieved across the public sector when technology and individual endeavour come together. Now, more than ever, we should recognise those involved, and encourage continued focus on eGovernment as a central tool in driving forward the Government's efficiency agenda. I warmly congratulate all of the 2010 award winners".

View the Winners of Ireland's eGovernment Awards 2010 here.

For further information; Maeve Kneafsey, Managing Director, Elucidate (co-hosts with Public Sector Times), 087 2401919

About Ireland's eGovernment Awards in association with eircom
Ireland's eGovernment Awards in association with eircom, jointly run by the Public Sector Times newspaper and web usage and web strategy experts Elucidate, are now in their eighth year. They are the recognised benchmark for excellence in Irish eGovernment services and standards. The Awards raise awareness and recognise the innovators, developers, forward thinkers and experts who are pioneering the changes happening in how the Irish Government delivers services to its citizens.

For further information, please visit www.irishegovernmentawards.ie

Maeve Kneafsey                                               Conall O'Morain
Director, Ireland's eGovernment Awards             The Media Group
01 400 4250                                                      087 246 3111
maeve@elucidate.ie                                         comorain@tmgroup.org

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