National ICT Policies

Background

The Irish government has demonstrated its commitment to the country’s information society and vision going forward by producing two key documents.  The first “Government Action Plan on the Information Society” was produced in January 1999 followed by a second Action Plan issued in March 2002 covering almost 100 pages.  The 2002 Action Plan, “New Connections – A Strategy to Realise the Potential of the Information Society”, is a document assessing Ireland’s progress in information and communication technologies (ICT), reviewing the nation’s ICT priorities, and providing a path forward framework.  According to Bertie Ahern, Ireland’s Prime Minister, “A supportive public policy environment is clearly critical to shaping our development as an Information Society.  This Action Plan provides a strategic framework for renewed commitment to this agenda across all areas of Government”.[1]

Recent Policy Progress

Since its inaugural Action Plan in 1999, Ireland has made great strides in establishing a framework with which to coordinate the diverse elements of the Information Society agenda in a coherent and progressive manner.  Accordingly, the Irish Government established a new Cabinet Committee on the Information Society, and a complementary strategy Group at the Secretary General level.  They have also appointed a new Information Society Commission that draws its membership from business, social partners and Government itself to provide advice to the government and monitor Ireland’s progress as an Information Society.  Each of the new policy-making structures are being coordinated by an expanded Information Society Policy Unit (ISPU) in the Department of the Taoiseach.[2]

The new mechanisms were designed to deliver a more coherent overall approach to formulating and implementing ICT policy that cuts across Departmental boundaries, between Departments and Agencies and between the central and local government.

2002 Action Plan

The new Action Plan attempts to identify the key infrastructures that are the necessary basis for delivery of advanced ICT services and address the frameworks and capacity to support and underpin ICT development.

Key Infrastructures Telecommunications infrastructure: developing capacity necessary for delivery of telecommunications services. Legal and regulatory environment: ensuring a secure and predictable legal framework for electronic transactions for both business and consumers. eGovernment: establishing business processes and service delivery arrangements of government programs.

Supporting Frameworks

§         eBusiness:  supporting competitiveness of business, with a particular focus on indigenous enterprises.

§         R&D:  facilitating innovation through science and technology to support knowledge-based economic activities.

§         Lifelong learning:  ensuring availability of knowledge and skills to build on the potential of ICTs.

§         eInclusion:  ensuring that ICT developments are inclusive and addressing issues of disadvantage and exclusion.

Major Government R&D Programs

Recognizing the evidence of the association between Research, Technological Development and Innovation (RTDI) and increased economic activity brought about through increased competitiveness, new company start-ups and existing company growth, the Irish Government has invested heavily in building strong scientific and research capabilities and an abundance of intellectual capital necessary for a knowledge-based society.  Accordingly, Ireland’s Research Technological Development and Innovation Priority (RTDI) in the National Development Plan 2000-2006 aims to guide this RTDI commitment.  The following list provides a selection of the various government-sponsored RTDI programs underway to drive and sustain Ireland’s ICT development.

§         National Development Plan (NDP) Allocation-  The Irish Government through the NDP (2000-2006) has appropriated $3.2 billion for RTDI activities across all Government Departments and Agencies.  This is in addition to the complementary set of programs already in place providing funding for training and development of researchers, project financing, growth of institutional research capacity, and mission-oriented research.

§         RTDI in Education-  The NDP provides approximately $894 million through 2006 for investment in research in niche technology deemed capable of driving economic competitiveness in the long-run.

§         Technology Foresight Fund-  The Technology Foresight Fund, established in February 2000, provides more than $814 million through 2006 for investment in research in niche technology deemed capable of driving economic competitiveness in the long run.  A new body, Science Foundation Ireland, was established as the mechanism for the management, allocation, disbursal and evaluation of the Technology Foresight Fund.

§         Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions-  The Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) is the core element of the RTDI and Education measure provided for in the NDP.  The program’s objective is to support institutions with strategically focused and managed research programs.  As of March 2002, awards totaling over $775 million have been announced for third level institutions.[3]

§         Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Services-  The Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Services encourages intellectual advancement and social sciences research in the humanities and social sciences through scholarship schemes for postgraduate researchers, postdoctoral researchers and academic faculty members.

§         Media Lab Europe-  The Media Lab Europe was established in 2000 as a third level R&D educational facility under a collaboration between the Irish Government and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  The lab specializes in learning through research in digital technologies.  A research team was assembled to include over 50 researchers and students with start-up capital of $45.5 million over four years and $16.2 million per year under the NDP to support Irish universities’ involvement in collaborative research projects with Media Lab Europe.[4]

RDTI Path Forward

The Irish Government has identified twelve RTDI objectives through the NDP and associated investments which will be measured in the future for assessment of progress.  These objectives are as follows:

Source:  “New Connections:  A Strategy to Realise the Potential of the Information Society.”  Government Action Plan, March 2002.

R&D Programs Driving RDTI Objectives

The Irish Government's investment under the NDP will be used as a means of enhancing innovation and competitiveness, in order to increase output and employment.  Five major programs and initiatives will be responsible for providing strategic direction to achieving the previously specified RDTI objectives as follows:

1.      Science Foundation Ireland.  Science Foundation Ireland is Ireland’s dedicated research body set up to administer the Technology Foresight Fund.  The long term objective of the Foundation is to create a highly visible critical mass of research excellence in niche areas of ICTs and Biotechnology.  Ireland’s intends through the Foundation to make the country one of Europe’s most attractive location for knowledge-based enterprise, both Irish owned and foreign owned.  SFI is currently focused on embedding existing firms in the Irish economy and re-positioning them higher up in the value chain ($$$); attracting R&D activities of foreign investment projects; and fostering start-up of high potential technology based firms, both domestic and foreign.

2.      EU Sixth Framework Programme (2002-2006).  The EU Sixth Framework Programme is a program for research, technological development and demonstration activities, with a particular focus on supporting Information Society development.

3.      Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology.  The Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology was established in 2001 to promote research in science, engineering and technology.  The Council is expected to make its first awards during 2002 and a total of $121.8 million over the lifetime of the NDP.[5]

4.      Researchers Group.  The Researchers Group was established by the Higher Education Authority to examine ways to attract researchers into Ireland and to promote research as a career option to undergraduates.  The Group comprises representatives from the research faculties in third level institutions, Forfas/SFI, the Irish Research Councils and the Health Research Board.

5.      Broadband Infrastructure for Education and R&D.  Ireland has stated its intention to ensure that its educational sector is underpinned by best-in-class broadband infrastructure.  These efforts will complement the previous accomplishments made by the Schools IT 2000 Programme, The NDP’s funding of research and development, the Next Generation Internet Project and the Media Lab Europe project (Department of Public Enterprise, Department of Education and Science).

RDTI Effects & Implications

In response to the question on whether or not Ireland’s investment in RDTI has produced tangible and favorable, analysts would say a resounding yes as evidenced by the following measures:   §         A study based on the OECD’s 2001 Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard ranked Ireland 4th internationally in terms of countries most likely to succeed in new knowledge-based industries[6].   §         The 2001 EU Innovation Scoreboard placed Ireland, with Finland, Denmark and Sweden, in the top quadrant of Member States that are moving ahead.
§         The 2001 World Competitiveness Yearbook of the Swiss-based IMD ranked Ireland 7th internationally among 49 industrialized and emerging economies.
§         In e-government, Ireland performed strongest of all Member States in the EU benchmarking exercise conducted in November 2001 to measure progress with delivery of online public services (e-Gov).
§         65% of Irish executives surveyed in October 2001 by Accenture indicated that they believed the Irish Government was exemplar of e-commerce – the most positive response in any of the countries surveyed, and twice the European average.