Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 64: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress to date on e-Government within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42554/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Substantial progress has been made in my Department on the implementation of e-Government.

Vehicle ownership and taxation represent my Department's largest area of direct service provision to citizens and, at an early stage, the Government's Information Society Action Plan identified motor tax as a priority area for electronic service delivery. The motor tax online service, available at www.motortax.ie (as Gaeilge — www.motarchain.ie), went live in 2004. In 2005, €168 million was collected in over 800,000 individual transactions on the site representing 30% of all eligible business nationwide, rising to almost 50% in Dublin. It is expected that these figures will be exceeded in 2006, with overall take-up running at 34% and forecast revenue approaching €250 million. In addition, a major new area of service was added to the site last year enabling vehicle owners to tax new vehicles for the first time online.

A project has been underway since September this year to enable motor dealers to use a secure electronic service to notify my Department of changes of vehicle ownership. This substantially enhances the service offered to those dealers and to owners and will improve the accuracy and currency of vehicle ownership records. This system will also handle notifications of end of vehicle life from Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) as required under waste legislation.

The growing level of interest in local heritage and wildlife around the country is reflected in the enthusiastic response to the Department's www.buildingsofireland.ie site, which attractively presents highlights of our built heritage on a county by county basis as the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage is carried out. In the new year, I will be launching a site which will use Geographical Information System (GIS) technology to deliver readily accessible map-based information on archaeological sites and monuments. This service will later be extended to include information on our natural heritage.

Many of the services promoted by my Department are delivered by local authorities and partner agencies and I am pleased that they have also responded to the challenges and opportunities of electronic service delivery. Various local authorities around the country enable citizens to use the internet to perform activities such as viewing and downloading planning applications, accessing library catalogues and reserving books, paying service charges, and accessing a wide range of forms and information.

A new IT Strategy is being developed by my Department for the period 2007-2010 and we will continue to look for new and innovative ways to deliver services conveniently to our customers while also striving to achieve efficiencies in our internal and back office processes.