The Government has published an upbeat report on recent eGovernment and ICT initiatives. The second progress report on "New Connections," the Government's Action Plan to develop Ireland's Information Society, said that eGovernment, broadband, eInclusion, R&D and eBusiness initiatives are all progressing well.

"Importantly, the 'e' agenda is now being mainstreamed across all areas of economic and social activity and the focus of attention is shifting towards the use of technology rather than simple awareness and access," said Mary Hanafin, Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility for the Information Society, in the foreword to the document.

Hanafin noted that the recent awarding of the Public Services Broker (PSB) contract to BearingPoint is a positive step, as is the launch of projects such as the motor tax on-line service, the General Register Office's life event data service, and the new on-line land registry service. The report itself gives updates on dozens of eGovernment projects, ranging from the eCabinet and eEstimates initiatives to on-line Gaeltacht grants and import/export declarations, all of which have already launched or will launch soon.

"Since its launch in April 2002, the New Connections Action Plan has been implemented with determination by the Department of the Taoiseach, in close collaboration with all other departments and their agencies," concluded Hanafin. "We will collectively strive, through our Information Society Policy Unit, Cabinet Committee on the Information Society, and the Government departments, to continue apace with our implementation of this ambitious agenda."

The progress report is available from the Department of the Taoiseach's Web site.

To coincide with Ireland's presidency of the European Union, the Irish Government will host an eGovernment conference in Dublin in June. Organised in collaboration with the EU Commission and Trinity College Dublin, the 4th European Conference on eGovernment will address the agenda within governments to transform the delivery of public services through the adoption of information and communications technology (ICT).

"The eGovernment conference is a key event in Ireland's presidency of the European Union," said Mary Hanafin (pictured), Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility for the Information Society, and host of the event. "The conference is significant in that it provides a timely opportunity to discuss, at the highest level, progress and emerging trends in the increasingly important area of eGovernment."

The conference is held annually to encourage co-operation between EU member states in the area of eGovernment. Such events examine how Europe stands in the field, identify the public e-services currently available, and demonstrate how citizens and businesses can benefit from on-line service provision. The themes of this year's conference, which is subtitled "Towards Innovative Transformation in the Public Sector," include the economics of eGovernment, the organisational changes arising out of its implementation, and identity management issues such as privacy and authentication.

"Facilitating in-depth discussion and debate on eGovernment issues among policy makers and these diverse, yet inter-related interests, will greatly assist us in mapping out how best to advance eGovernment services locally, nationally and, indeed, internationally," said Hanafin.

The 4th European Conference on eGovernment will take place at Trinity College Dublin on 17 and 18 June.

A Web site designed to help adults improve their literacy skills has been formally launched by the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA).

The site, www.literacytools.ie, has had a successful run as a pilot project for the past six months. NALA said that the site is targeted at all adult learners who wish to improve their literacy skills -- from independent learners who cannot, or do not want to, attend literacy classes to those in learning environments who want to boost their spelling, reading and numeracy skills. The site boasts interactive on-line exercises, games and printable worksheets, as well as resources for adult literacy tutors. While the site's primary function is as a teaching tool, NALA said its secondary aim is to introduce adult literacy learners to information and communications technology (ICT).

In the 1997 International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), 25 percent of the Irish population were found to be at the lowest level of literacy. NALA claims that there are now 28,000 people participating in VEC adult literacy programmes. This figure has quadrupled since 1997, but it still represents less than 5 percent of Irish adults with literacy difficulties.

The new site is the latest tool in the bid to combat the problem, and the feedback from VEC literacy schemes, traveller learning centres and Youthreach has been positive, according to Jennifer Lynch, NALA project coordinator. "From our feedback, users wanted to see more exercises, worksheets and games up there -- something we have implemented for the final version," she said.

The site was part-funded by a grant of EUR19,000 from the CAIT fund in 2001, issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

A new initiative aimed at encouraging young people in Ballyfermot, Dublin, to learn computer skills was launched in late April.

Fastrack to IT (FIT), a government- and industry-backed group, has published a Web site, booklet and CD-ROM entitled 'You can do IT!' Copies of the CD and booklet, which are aimed specifically at teenagers, are being distributed to schools, libraries and community centres in the Ballyfermot area. The launch is the first of six that will take place over the next year, with plans to introduce similar material aimed at different sectors of the community, including older people, parents and pre-school children.

The booklet and CD aim to teach basic computer skills, such as how to use word processing applications, send e-mail and surf the Internet. The resources also provide lists of popular sites for teenagers to visit under headings such as sport, music, health and beauty, and games. Sites like Skool.ie and Scoilnet.ie are promoted, and a range of sites that provide career advice are also recommended.

The Web site is hosted on the Do IT site, which was set up by FIT as a resource for Ballyfermot residents who wish to develop IT skills. The 'You can do IT!' initiative is funded by Ballyfermot Urban Ltd, which is managed by Dublin City Council, and it continues the work of the eCitizen programme, which since its launch last year has taught computer skills to more than 200 Ballyfermot residents, ranging in age from 9 to 90.

"'You can do IT!' is a first for the Ballyfermot area," said Caroline Rothwell, project developer at FIT, "and it's all designed to make using computers interesting and fun for teenagers, while encouraging them to learn." The launch took place during eWeek, an event organised by the Dublin Chamber of Commerce to highlight IT communications solutions for businesses and communities.

Based in Clontibret, County Monaghan, six-year-old Combilift Ltd is a true local success story. The company claims to have developed the world's first engine-powered four-way forklift, which is now being exported to dozens of countries around the globe. Faced with rapid advances in technology, the company embraced e-business for fear of being left behind.

"As technology advances, it's important that when customers hear our brand name, they think we're up-to-date. If the company is advanced in communication, they will think the business is also advanced," says Martin McVicar, managing director of Combilift.

Technology, however, is a double-edged sword for the forklift manufacturer. McVicar says that "technology has opened more markets, but it also makes it easier for competitors to enter those markets." As an example, he points to the sourcing of raw materials, which was difficult ten years ago but can now be done on-line.

Faced with the challenges posed by technology, Combilift contracted Ernst & Young to develop an e-business strategy, and the first phase began in 2001. Key objectives included the development of an internal network to improve communication and the speed of customer response. A Web site, www.combilift.com, was created to attract customers, and an extranet was implemented to improve communication with the company's international dealer network.

McVicar believes that internal networking was the most important aspect of the strategy, and the next step is making better use of those tools to align more closely with customers.

During deployment, Combilift encountered a number of problems, particularly delays in launching the Web site. A more current issue, according to McVicar, is broadband. "As our company is located in a small county near the border between Southern and Northern Ireland," he explains, "we don't have broadband and it's difficult to run an extranet."

Despite the challenges, the company has witnessed several benefits from the e-business solution. Internal efficiencies have improved as departmental overlap is reduced due to networking. Combilift can also work more closely with sub-contractors, speeding up the development process. Furthermore, the dealer extranet saves time in ordering spare parts, administering transactions and locating technical information for products.

Combilift's long-term aim is to develop Britain, the US and Germany as the company's main markets. A borderless e-business solution makes that aim easier to achieve.

Health Minister Micheal Martin brought on-line health services a step closer in early May by showcasing an initiative to develop an Irish health services Web portal. The Health Ireland project was unveiled to 500 guests from across the EU who were attending a two-day conference in Cork highlighting the latest developments in telehealth in Ireland and Europe.

This is the first step of a multi-phase, multi-year project being undertaken by a project team from HeBE (The Health Boards Executive) on behalf of the Irish health services. The new portal aims to provide access to a range of health information and services through an easy-to-use and trusted mechanism. Initially, the portal will be available via the Internet, but there are plans for the initiative to be rolled out across a range of channels, such as call centre, walk-in centre, television, PDA and mobile phone text messaging.

Health Ireland, or Sláinte Eireann as the portal is called in Irish, will provide on-line information and services to the public and to health services staff. Among the initial services being made available to the public are explanatory information on the health services, a health service locator, on-line forms (including applications for healthcare cover when on temporary stay in the EU), health alerts, and feedback on queries. For health services employees, the portal will enable staff to access e-learning and participate in on-line workspace collaboration -- this will help to overcome time and distance barriers and facilitate the exchange of ideas and information on best practice.

Steps will be taken in the months ahead to consolidate all relevant Internet and intranet sites into the portal. In addition, work is continuing with the Reach Agency to ensure that the health services and the new portal maximise the benefits of the Public Services Broker.

The pace of eGovernment development is slowing on a global basis, according to a new study by Accenture. The management consultancy and technology services firm found that after an initial period of rapid expansion, the pace of eGovernment advancement has slowed, and many countries have hit a plateau of eGovernment maturity. Maturity is measured in terms of the number of public services that are available on-line, and the ways in which the services are available. Worldwide, the average eGovernment maturity rating increased by 5.6 percent in 2004, compared to an average rise of 7.4 percent in 2003 and 11.5 percent in 2002.

The European Commission reported earlier this year that the eEurope 2005 Action Plan is making good progress. In its mid-term report on the Action Plan, which was endorsed by EU heads of state and governments at the Seville European Council in 2002, the Commission found that 43 percent of government services are available on-line across the European Union. This compares with 17 percent of services that were e-enabled in 2001. The Commission noted that in spite of positive signs, more effort needed to be made to share experiences and to tailor e-services to users' needs.

The US government is struggling to meet its eGovernment targets. Of the 25 "Quicksilver" eGovernment initiatives endorsed by the Bush administration, only two have met all of their aims over the past two years, a US House of Representatives subcommittee heard recently. A representative from the General Accounting Office (GAO) said that two projects had fulfilled all of their goals, while five projects achieved more than half the targets set. Of the 91 objectives originally set by the Office of Management and Budget, the GAO found that 33 had been met; 38 had been partially achieved; and no significant progress had been made on 17 targets.

China -- More chief information officers (CIOs) are needed in order to develop China's eGovernment projects, an information official has said. Professionals with experience in IT and Government are in short supply in China, both at central and at local level, which means that eGovernment projects lack champions with strategic vision. Speaking at an eGovernment seminar in Shanghai, Hu Xiaoming, director of the State Information Centre, said that these individuals are badly needed as China must implement eGovernment in order to better communicate with the international community.

Canada -- IT Spending in Canada is set to increase 3 percent this year, driven by government spending, according to a study from research company Forrester. A survey of IT decision makers found that 52 percent predicted that the year would be either "somewhat challenging" or "extremely challenging." Government IT spending is healthier than business IT spending, said Forrester, as authorities continue to spend on eGovernment projects and replace out-dated systems at local, municipal and regional levels. Forrester predicted rising demand in the areas of portals, eCommerce and security solutions.

France -- More than 1.25 million tax returns were submitted electronically to the French government for this tax year. The figure was double the number of electronic filings submitted last year and beat the government's target of having 1 million returns e-filed in 2004. Around 18 percent of households with an Internet connection filed their returns on-line this year. However, the number of electronic returns represents a mere 3.7 percent of the total number of tax returns filed in France in 2004.

The Netherlands -- Local authorities in the Netherlands are confident that about 65 percent of their services will be on-line by 2007, according to the Dutch government. Forty percent of all local government services are currently available on-line, exceeding the target set by Minister for Government Reform Thom de Graaf of having 25 percent of services on-line by the end of 2003. There have been disputes over the new target of 65 percent, however, with some government sources saying it is too high, while other organisations believe the goal is too conservative.