All our digital future

IRELAND'S Information Society Steering Committee recently published its long awaited report, and the primary concern of the 90…

IRELAND'S Information Society Steering Committee recently published its long awaited report, and the primary concern of the 90 page document is how Ireland should create an information society - and the amount of catching up that's required. Despite Ireland" strength in attracting and developing high tech industry, it rank: 23rd out of 26 countries in an index about preparedness for the information age.

The committee was assembled by Minister Richard Bruton and composed of many leading figures in technical fields in Ireland It considers the current state of play, describes a vision of "Ireland as an Information Society", sets out strategies for preparing for that role, and concludes by listing a range of actions that might be taken. These include fiscal incentives, improving infrastructure, educational initiatives and funding a number of highly visible flagship projects.

Below, several key figures respond to the report. We were unable to find anyone from the corporate/business area who'd read the report yet.

. Gerry McGovern

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Director,

Nua, Internet consultants and Web design services

. I think it certainly looks quite positive and well thought out. It seems like a worthwhile document, but of course it's the provisions that will be made: will it be let sit there gathering dust?

It recognises we're in a time of monumental change, and decisions made today will impact on us for the next 50 years. The basic talent and basic human resources are here in Ireland, so if we show a bit of vision today and invest in the future, we can reap huge benefits.

As well, the divide between the information rich and the information poor is there, and widening. We have the opportunity to be among the information leaders, and the report recognises those possibilities.

Who it should be aimed at is the politicians. The big difficulty is that the political establishment doesn't know anything about computers. They're technically illiterate and we're letting them plan a future for us. There should be a computer on every desk in the Dail.

. Aileen MacKeogh

Director,

Arthouse multimedia centre for the arts

. It seems to me in general a good report. They propose a very good strategy; we've got to start at the primary school level, we've got to have training. However, it's very slight in terms of content - developing multimedia content. That would be one of the aspects Arthouse is putting out the boat on. There's huge scope for creativity here, but not a lot of vision is in the report.

Another aspect: it's very good that there should be "flagship" projects. But here we are in Ireland with Arthouse in our midst, running training and production programmes. We are very disappointed it's not listed as one of the flagships. How can we get better Government recognition for the role it's already championing?

The report talks about tools, but doesn't explain what these tools are, where their role is in education. I'd like to see technology viewed creatively. Up to now there's been too narrow an approach to how these things are used. I think cultural use and creative use is major.

. David Algeo

Senior Lecturer

Computer Science Department

TCD

. I think it's a well camouflaged - technology led report. It seems to accept as a fundamental truth that spending on what they call ICT (information and communications technologies) is good, and more is even better. Their recommendations all respect modern thinking in that sense.

What is needed is to align their initiatives with a national policy of economic and social development and to prioritise them accordingly. Failure to do this on the part of Government runs the riskthataserious gap will emerge between the promoters of ICT and the general user.

. Joe Breen editor, electronic publishing

Irish Times newspaper

. First of all it's a very competent report. There are certain grey areas but that's inevitable in a report dealing with the future. The grey areas will become clearer when the commission comes together and if it's given real power.

There are two main dangers.

First, its real impact is in point ing out our infrastructure is really poor in this country. We haven't got the fundamentals right at all and that's got to be addressed. Second, it's all very well saying education, education, education. They've just announced they're putting £30 million into education, but £30 million is nothing. There may be three computers in schools where there are 600 to 700 kids. We have to change this higgledy piggledy approach to technology. In those terms we need to have a very serious policy. Despite the fact that there's a lot of waffle, the report does strongly address the future. But "the future" - we're only talking about the next five to 10 years. The problem with this whole business is the Web - what used to happen in one year now happens in two months. And it certainly happens too fast for modern government.

. Martina Flynn

MIDAS Ireland; manager, BTiS (Business and Technical Information Service)

University of Limerick

. It's very good that finally we have a report and a lead from the Government on the way things should go in the future. It's a policy which gives business and public bodies some guidance. It's far seeing in many ways, for example in the plans for computers in schools. It's important at that stage that people get some experience. In the future, if they have no exposure to the Internet they'll be going nowhere fast.

It's also important that there are guidelines for infrastructure. It will help certain regions of the country; in the midwest it will give bodies like Shannon Development a sense of where the region fits into the future. They touched on business, but possibly could have done more. But I think most businesses are aware of the need to know about computers and technology and the opportunities afforded by the Internet - although there's still a lack of knowledge out there.

Overall it's a very realistic view, and a lot of the goals are achievable for the future, and that's important.

. Colm Grealy

General Manager

Ireland On-Line Internet service provider

. I think it was a very proficient report and dealt with a lot of issues. Of particular interest to us was data on the penetration of PCs, or the lack of penetration, and some of the grant initiatives to get PCs into homes.

The other area of interest is education, which is something we've been working on already. The Government is launching, once and for all and on a national basis, an educational service in the schools. The reality right now is that many schools can't pay their heating bills, much less afford PCs. We run the risk of this next generation not having been exposed to technology. If funding doesn't come into the schools, we're going to be left behind.

With business, Ireland's done quite well. Both major banks are involved in online commerce, two semi state bodies have a role and lots of small businesses are taking advantage of the opportunities for industry, especially for us as an island nation. What we could do with is a much more advanced communications infrastructure.

Technology certainly will play a major part in our future. Anything that advances that and accelerates that is very important.