'Quiet revolution' stirring in e-government

23-02-2007

by Emmet Ryan

South Dublin County Council was the big winner at the Irish e-Government awards as the authority's Connect website bagged two gongs, including the overall title.

Prizes in 11 categories were presented at the ceremony in Dublin on Thursday night. The contest, now in its third year, recognises excellence and creativity in technology initiatives in the public sector.

Connect was awarded the Local Irish e-Government award and the overall Irish e-Government award at the ceremony. "The competition was quite steep so to be recognised was a tremendous feeling," Lorna Maxwell, project manager of Connect, told ENN. "Within the council we have embraced technology and it's turned around the way we work; the Connect office is a paperless office."

The Connect website is aimed at bringing technology to local communities through four initiatives. Connect Web provides training to community groups on developing websites, with over 100 sites designed through the project in the past year. Connect School has provided every teacher in St Aidan's school in Tallaght, Dublin with a laptop. On Monday, every first year in the school will be provided with a laptop to encourage interactive learning.

"We want to make learning more interactive and interesting," said Maxwell. "We hope this will lead to better attendance and better performance by the students involved."

The website's Connect Centre provides advice to community groups on how to use technology in community centres, while the Connect Me service provides locals with access to information about local businesses and resources.

South Dublin was joined by local authorities from Meath, Waterford and Mayo on the winners' rostrum. Waterford City Council won the Irish Language award while Meath County Council took home the Intranet Irish e-Government award. Mayo County Council received the e-Accessibility award.

Other winners on the night included the Department of Finance, which won the Central Government award for its www.etenders.gov.ie site and Failte Ireland, which claimed the Project Management award for its www.dublin.ie site.

"There is quiet revolution happening under our noses within e-Government," said Maeve Kneafsey, managing director of Elucidate and a member of the judging panel for the awards.

"These highly innovative projects, right around the country, are revolutionising the way we, the citizens, do our business with the public sector," she said.