Film-maker David Puttnam to assume role as digital champion

The well-known British film-maker David Puttnam is to take on the role of digital champion for Ireland.

Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte said yesterday he had asked Puttnam to be an ambassador for digital in Ireland.

“We all need to be challenged, to be imaginative about how digital technologies and digital media can improve our quality of life, our skills, our health, our education, our employability and our prosperity. Through his careers in cinema, broadcasting and teaching, David has always been a genuine champion and early adopter of digital technologies,” he said.

Puttnam said Ireland had been at the forefront in a number of areas of digital adoption, but he said there was “considerable untapped potential in the digital area”.

“Thinking ‘digital’ in all aspects of policy, business,and daily citizen activity, presents huge opportunities,” he added, “not just for efficiency and effectiveness, but to help unlock the extraordinary creative potential that exists in this, my adopted country.”