Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)

E-services are a way of life in the private sector in areas such as banking and finance, information and research, travel and accommodation, and consumer spending. There is a need for greater and better access to Government services through information technology, with a recent survey indicating that 78% of respondents wish to avail of such services. There have been excellent successes in some areas of e-Government. One of these is the motor tax on-line service where dozens of local authorities allow people to pay their vehicle tax on-line quickly and efficiently. The Revenue on-line service is another notable success.

For these successes to be replicated in other sectors will require a properly thought out strategy that is implemented in a timely manner and is subject to a rigorous ongoing review process to ensure it is properly functioning, efficient, easily accessible and provides value for money. The wastage of resources that was allowed to happen in the past must not recur. The State could afford to be generous in its allocation of resources in the past, but that will not be possible to the same extent now that the economy is slowing down. There can be no excuse for wastage within any Government sector.

The implementation of successful e-Government projects will require the expertise of international experts in this field, as well as input from those involved in successful projects such as the Revenue on-line service and the motor tax on-line facility. Properly executed and completed within budget, such projects have the potential to deliver significant cost benefits for Departments by reducing the volume of internal administration in such areas as the payment of court fines, commercial rates and other charges, passport and driving licence renewals, student and housing grants and many other areas. This would allow for the transfer of personnel, subject to retraining requirements, from administrative work to the provision of frontline services where there is generally a shortage of staff.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, who is also the Taoiseach-designate, has repeatedly claimed that Fine Gael is bankrupt of policy. I take this opportunity to compliment Deputy Coveney, who has produced an excellent report on broadband provisions and other sectors, on bringing forward this motion. My party is clearly not bankrupt of policy. However, evidence of bankruptcy on the Government's part is clear in its failure to deliver essential projects on time and within budget. It must produce an action plan which includes an investigation of the viability of innovative uses of technology, such as text messaging and mobile telephone-based web facilities, for access to Government services. These technologies are continually developing but while the private sector is deriving great benefit from their utilisation, the Government is not taking advantage of them. These technologies are routinely used by consumers in the private sector. For example, we must exploit the potential of digital television to provide interactive Government services.

A move towards broader access to information within Departments carries with it a serious obligation to ensure security. A secure on-line digital identification system for users is required and all available safeguards must be employed to protect the identities and personal information of users. We must tighten up policies regarding the use of mobile devices such as laptops, BlackBerrys and memory sticks. Permission to convey databases of personal information outside of Departments on these devices must be restricted to safeguard security in the event of loss or theft. We have seen the negative impact of the loss of such information for Bank of Ireland in recent days and, before that, for the Irish Blood Transfusion Service.

Above all, it is vital that we have accountability. It is not sufficient merely to implement an efficient unified system with clearly identified objectives. Responsibility must be taken for delivering that system within an agreed timeframe and within budget. It must then be subject to annual audits to assess user benefits and satisfaction and to undertake comparisons with e-systems in other countries.

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