Minister of State Ossian Smyth TD: Connecting Government 2030 launched I was delighted to launch digital government report
Connecting Government 2030: A Digital and ICT Strategy for Ireland’s Public Service in March 2022, setting out our ambition for digitalisation of public services over the coming years, writes Minister of State with responsibility for eGovernment Ossian Smyth TD. We want to make it just as easy to get your government services online as it is to shop online. You can already apply for many services online, for example: a tax refund or a welfare payment online. It is great that you can get a new passport or a driver's license without having to wait in a queue at an office counter. We have delivered well against our expectations and have put in place the foundations of a strong digital government ecosystem. I acknowledge the work of our civil and public service for the progress to date. However, while there are many areas of excellence, we want to see ease of access to government services increase and greater integration across all public services. Connecting Government 2030 will help us achieve this ambition.
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Connecting Government 2030 embodies a digital by default approach in delivering public services. Working with stakeholders and the public, we will build towards 90 per cent online uptake of key public services in line with the targets set by the EU’s Digital Decade. At the same time, of course, we will improve the offline experience for those who are unable to access services digitally.
Connecting Government 2030 addresses the digitalisation of public services dimension of the new national digital strategy, Harnessing Digital: The Digital Ireland Framework. It also aligns with the targets set out in Civil Service Renewal 2030. The digital transformation of government means redesigning and rebuilding government processes and services and using digitalisation and data to provide an integrated experience and service for our people, for businesses, for policymakers and for service providers. In order to achieve more user-focused outcomes, digitalisation, supported by ICT, will be an integral part of policymaking and public service design processes from the outset, My colleague in government, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath TD, acknowledged this in Budget 2022. He remarked that the allocations announced “must be matched by a commitment to deliver value for money across all areas of government. This will mean further embedding digitisation and new ways of working across our public services”.
The well-established benefits of the digital transformation of public services for both individuals and businesses include efficiency, transparency, trust, and accessibility. Moreover, we know that a strong government digital performance supports and draws strength from a strong digital economy in Ireland.
Connecting Government 2030 identifies six priority action areas. 1
A human-driven digital experience: Understanding our users and their needs is key to delivering better services.
2
Harnessing data effectively: Improving public services by implementing structures to deliver more and better re-use of data, respecting privacy, and data protection.
3
Government as a platform: Driving service simplification through an ecosystem of standards, resources and tools, including application of the ‘onceonly’ principle.
4
Evolving through innovation:
