Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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99. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the expected timeline for developing and implementing an e-inclusion strategy to ensure no one is left behind by the move to a digital society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27772/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware my Department is involved in leading the development of a new National Digital Strategy which will be published by the end of this year. It is my intention that the e-inclusion strategy to ensure no one is left behind in this digital society, will be an important and integral dimension to this new strategy which will include a range of related and specific actions.

The Deputy may also wish to be aware that my Department previously published Digital for Good: Ireland’s Digital Inclusion Roadmap. This acknowledged that, as digital technologies become increasingly woven into our daily lives, there is a risk that some people could be disadvantaged and therefore left behind. The Roadmap identified the work that is already underway across government to achieve digital inclusion through better skills, access and infrastructure. Digital for Good brought this work together in a coherent manner and shows how Government is working to empower and support everyone to use digital services in a meaningful way and in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals’ principle of “Leave No One Behind”. My officials are currently collating associated progress updates which will be used to inform the e-inclusion chapter of the upcoming National Digital Strategy.

Finally, I would like to draw the Deputy’s attention to the forthcoming Charter for Digital Inclusion which was recently announced by my colleague the Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation and sees the implementation of one of the measures from Digital for Good. As the Minister of State said, this call to action represents a major step forward in Ireland’s journey toward a more inclusive digital society. The Charter will outline a set of core commitments focused on accessibility, equity, affordability, and the development of digital skills. It will serve as a framework for collaboration between the public sector, large enterprises, SMEs, community organisations and citizens. The Charter will continue to form part of Government’s efforts to ensure no one is left behind and will be included in the e-inclusion chapter of the new National Digital Strategy which, as I mentioned, will be published by the end of this year.