Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I wish to outline the purpose of Fine Gael tabling this motion in Private Members' time. We want an accepted recognition that Ireland needs a new strategy for modernisation and information technology in Government. It is an embarrassment that we have had no formal strategy in place since early 2006 on this issue since the new connections strategy finished at the end of 2005. We want to insist on lessons being learned from previous strategies that have cost, and continue to cost, significant sums of money, yet have not delivered sufficiently. We need to recognise the notable failures and learn the lessons from such failures and also recognise the successes so that we replicate that model and apply it to other areas to get the success we have got from the Revenue Commissioners in terms of making services available on-line. We are trying to influence the thinking of Government behind the policy formation and more important, perhaps, the planning and implementation of the Government's next e-Government strategy. We are emphasising once again the priority that we in Fine Gael give to the creation of an advanced modern information society in Ireland and the necessity for clear Government commitment, direction and leadership to achieve that end. We were looking for agreement from all parties, including Government, on the priorities set out in our original motion, as a recognition that this has been a worthwhile debate in outlining ideas to progress and re-ignite the modernisation agenda through advancement in communications technology.

There is a perception among some people that e-Government is simply about providing information on-line, putting information that was in pamphlets and books on to websites to allow citizens to access information via the Internet. Accessing information on-line is, of course, part of e-Government but only that. What we need to achieve is the creation of new solutions through technology to provide a full range of services to the public, allowing full interaction across a broad range of public services and also to facilitate interaction between Departments, local authorities and public sector bodies that can improve efficiency, drive down costs and, most important, provide better Government.

What this issue is about is Government reflecting the needs of a modern society in the provision of public services. It is about providing 24 hour access to services and information in the same way that the private sector has already done in a range of areas. Most families planning their holidays look up the Aer Lingus and Ryanair websites after dinner in the evening and probably book their flights, hotels, hire care and their place by the pool side, if they wish to do so, via the Internet.

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