Ask people to use online government to help the nation

'Bord Snip' focus on eGovernment 'about time too' as many Irish eGovernment projects are world-class

Teach senior citizens how to deal with government via internet using Transition Year students

'Asking people to help the nation save money and create efficiencies by using the eGovernment option when dealing with government departments and agencies can pay a double dividend' according to Maeve Kneafsey, MD of Elucidate, co-host of Ireland's eGovernment Awards, run in association with eircom.

"Elucidate's own surveys have shown that, not unsurprisingly, consumers will use online services when they understand that eGovernment can be quicker, far more convenient and, if properly implemented, can save the Government hundreds of millions of Euro in staff costs and other efficiencies." Therefore, part of 'Bord Snip's' drive for further eProcurement, which is to be warmly welcomed, should be to ask, and use incentives to move people to use online services and away from paperwork, the phone and visiting government offices.

'In the main when the public start to do this they prefer the self help model.' Ms. Kneafsey was commenting at the announcement of the short-list of winners of Ireland's eGovernment Awards 2009. She added "In fact, an Bord Snip should have a good look at our previous winners as excellent examples of the best of breed in Irish eGovernment, how they have delivered world-class solutions to anything from eProcurement, paying local council charges, to local library services, all online, all saving time, manpower and money. But at the same time, providing a better service.

"It looks like finally the era of eGovernment is taking centre stage. In the United States President Elect Obama has appointed what is effectively a Secretary of State for Technology to aggressively push the roll-out and adoption of eGovernment across the USA. In Britain, the UK Government has published the Glover report that focuses on what eGovernment can do to help SMEs and an Bord Snip has also specifically targeted eProcurement as being a priority of saving the country many millions of Euro."

Ms Kneafsey added, "One thing that should not be forgotten in all of this is that we shouldn't assume that everyone can access eGovernment services. It's a given that older people in particular need to be guided on how to use the basics of the Internet. However, as the best online web services should be intuitive to use, it shouldn't take long to teach the 'non-Internet' (NIT) generation how to access these services and I would encourage the Minister for Education to look at the possibility of fast tracking the new module proposed for inclusion in Transition Year for schools where part of students' time was spent helping NITs get comfortable with using online and mobile services. Focusing on how easily, and from the comfort of their own home or local library they can apply for grants, allowances, planning permissions or pay their taxes, without having to spend hours queuing in government offices or on the phone moving from department to department."

Commenting, Cathal Magee, Managing Director, eircom Retail said "eircom is very proud to be associated with the eGovernment Awards. The eGovernment Awards are a hugely important mechanism for publicly acknowledging and rewarding innovation in the public sector. The Awards honour those who have made a significant contribution to Ireland's eGovernment services and those who have succeeded in harnessing ICT to deliver better services, information and efficiencies to their key stakeholders.

View the 2009 Shortlist here

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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