The projects just approved draw from the EUR8 million CAIT fund, which last year financed more than 70 community initiatives across Ireland. CAIT is the Community Application of Information Technology initiative, part of the government's long-term project to ensure that ICTs are available to and usable by more segments of Irish society.

"We want to ensure that, to the best of our ability, there aren't large groups of people in Ireland who are excluded from the knowledge economy," said a spokesperson for the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. She said the first CAIT projects are already helping bridge the gap, including projects where older citizens are now keeping in touch with far-away relatives using e-mail. Ensuring Irish citizens are comfortable with on-line technologies becomes increasingly important as more government services go on-line.

CAIT projects have been approved for every county in Ireland, and it is hoped additional funds will be made available to extend the project beyond its current 18-month lifespan. More information is at the CAIT web site

For the second successive sample, Ireland was rated best overall with a total score at 84.72% - ahead of the next best, Sweden, and far ahead of the European average of 54.25%.

The comparative analysis was conducted in April by Cap Gemini Ernst and Young for the European Commission. The consultants measured 23 public services across the EU states with Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. The overall result was due in large part to the services on the Reach portal site and the Revenue Online Service.

Ireland was awarded full marks in 12 of the 20 benchmarked categories. For citizen services, Ireland achieved almost double the European average at 85%. Performance on business services obtained a joint second with Denmark and just behind Sweden.

Overall the EU saw a 10% rise in the availability of Government services compared with the previous measure in October 2001. However the picture isn't even across the whole of the EU. The results also show a widespread variance between different countries, with the lowest score of just 22% going to Luxembourg. The full report is available as a PDF file here.

The initiative is administered by ECDL, the European Computer Driving Licence in Ireland, which provides a special pack to groups who want to offer the training. Aimed very much at people who might have previously felt intimidated by computers, the course material gives a gentle introduction to basic concepts, from turning on a computer to using the 'back' button on a Web browser.

Ireland's South West and Mid-West were the main pilot area, coordinated by Shannon Development and the South-West Regional Authority. Groups outside the pilot area also joined, downloading course materials from www.equalskills.com; the site also lets candidates collect their certificate of achievement after passing a simple on-line test.

A decision about further funding for Equalskills is expected by September, following results from an independent evaluation. The first-phase evaluation already produced impressive results -- 82 percent of people who completed the program say they believe it has boosted their job prospects. More information and a full list of participating groups is at the web site or on 1850 375 455.

Seventy percent of people who use their handheld computers (PDAs) to store corporate information don't protect that data with a password or encryption. (Pointsec Mobile Technologies May 2002)

Nearly half of IT professionals believe that the US government will be hit with a "major cyberattack" in the next 12 months (Business Software Alliance June 2002)

Yet as Ireland's jobs market has become more buoyant, the Office had to work faster and smarter to secure the best people for its job openings. That meant not only a customer relations effort to make public jobs more attractive, but also transforming the way it handles applications.

Working with Accenture and with monies from the Information Society Fund, the Office built publicjobs.ie, a secure Web site that lets applicants apply for jobs on-line or register to be alerted when suitable openings arise. Also listed are sample Clerical Officer tests, plus tips on testing and interviewing. The system has helped slash burdensome paperwork for Office staff, and this should improve when integration with back-end systems is complete.

"We're also working on rolling out computer-based testing of job applicants, which a huge percentage told us they would prefer," said Patricia O'Grady, director of customer relations. A range of on-line tools to view and manage candidates is also planned for the boards and Commissioners who make the hiring decisions.

More info: www.publicjobs.gov.ie

Tesco now on-line for visually impaired
Tesco Ireland has launched a Web site for the visually impaired, in a further attempt to broaden the appeal of on-line shopping. [ElectricNews.net 05 July 2002]
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Esat BT moves closer to flat-rate Internet
Esat BT could introduce flat-rate Internet access by the end of the summer, ElectricNews.Net has learned. [ElectricNews.net 03 July 2002]
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PCs: now 1 billion served
The billionth personal computer was shipped in April of this year, according to a new report by Gartner Dataquest, which predicts the second billionth by 2008. [ElectricNews.net 01 July 2002]
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But Basta Parsons, Tubbercurry-based ironmonger, has made B2B a reality by transforming a basic Web presence to a shopfront. Its system not only lets customers order on-line, but boasts order tracking and built-in intelligence that recognises and offers special pricing to preferred clients.

"We have around 2,000 customers, from companies like Heitons and Grafton Group to very small hardware shops," said Susan Kelly, assistant chief executive, marketing. Kelly said the company has set realistic targets -- it expects around 10 percent of clients to use the system initially -- and is taking a careful approach to roll-out, with training provided to help customers use the service. Already its first-generation Web site saved time and postage for Basta, and the new facilities should further reduce admin costs.

For companies thinking of building an e-commerce site, Kelly warns them to choose their technology partners carefully, ensuring the partners have experience and can also "speak English," since development can become extremely technical. "You need to start by deciding what you want to accomplish, and stay focussed on that," she said. "Otherwise people can get carried away with the technology."

Click here to vist the web site.

UK - Civil liberties groups and conservative rivals alike have blasted a tentative "universal identity card" proposal from Home Secretary David Blunkett. Blunkett said the cards would be a weapon in combating welfare fraud as well as giving citizens a convenient way to access a range of public service. More information

SCOTLAND - A STG30m fund aimed at modernising Scottish government has been announced. STG16m is available now for key projects, including STG5.4m to let young people access services using a smartcard. Other funds will help local authorities develop customer-focussed systems, so citizens can make just one call to deal with a range of council services.

TAIWAN - Taiwan's government is allotting EUR1.15bn for a five-year e-Taiwan project, including projects like on-line tax filing and the conversion of more than 600 government forms to electronic format. Taiwan trails other Asian countries, like South Korea and Singapore, in implementing e-government.