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HEAD OF E-GOV ANNOUNCED
Ian Watmore, currently Managing Director of Accenture has been named as the new Head of e-Government for the UK. Mr Watmore, who replaces current e-Envoy, Andrew Pinder, will join in September. Ian Watmore will be accountable to Douglas Alexander, Minister for the Cabinet Office, and report to Sir Andrew Turnbull, Cabinet Secretary. The e-Government Unit, which will be based in the Cabinet Office, will work with departments to deliver efficiency savings while improving the delivery of public services by joining up electronic government services around the needs of customers. www.helpisathand.gov.uk/news/e-gov/egov-head/
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UK TO TRIAL CITIZEN INFORMATION PROJECT
The UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released a tender for its Citizen Information Project (CIP), which is aimed at establishing a UK-wide population register. The register would form the basis for an IT system to share certain contact data about citizens across the public sector. The type of data to be shared is described as “non-sensitive contact data,” such as name, address, and reference number. The first phase of the project will involve a data analysis and matching trial, which will assess the feasibility of automatically matching citizen records held across a number of government agencies. The ONS said it hopes that the trial can take place by the end of 2004 using samples of real data from selected agencies. Some analysts have observed that the register could form the basis for the government’s planned ID card scheme, although there is currently no official connection between the two schemes. Critics of the CIP have complained that it is invasive of citizens’ privacy, with one group, known as Privacy International, nominating the scheme in its so-called Big Brother Awards. Source: ENN eGovernment News, www.enn.ie/frontpage/news-9542476.html. More information – UK Government: www.statistics.gov.uk/cip/default.asp; Privacy International: www.privacyinternational.org/
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EXPERT GROUP TO REPORT ON PUBLIC SERVICE CARDS
Access to public services provided by Government and other bodies will be streamlined and made easier under a new initiative to cut red tape. A top level expert group is being established to report to Government within six months under the eGovernment initiative to introduce a standardised framework for a Public Service Card (PSC). The aim is to develop a standard for Public Service Cards that acts as a key for access to services, identifying and authenticating individuals as appropriate and where required. www.reach.ie/new.htm#pscard
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15YR CONTRACT FOR MANAGEMENT OF METROPOLITAN BROADBAND NETWORKS
The contract for management of the Government and local authority Regional Metropolitan Broadband Networks has been awarded to E-Net. E-Net is a Limerick company and is expected to employ 120 people both directly and indirectly – with 65 jobs located in Limerick – to manage the 26 metropolitan broadband rings. The construction costs of these Networks are in the region of €80m and were funded by the Government and the Local Authorities. The term of the contract is 15 years and e-Net will begin operations straight away. E-Net will operate as a wholesaler of access to the metropolitan area networks and will offer a full suite of products including ducting, sub-ducting, dark fibre, high level managed capacity, collocation facilities and relevant auxiliary services. www.dcmnr.gov.ie
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€55 MILLION FOR NEW BROADBAND ROLLOUT
The next phase of the Regional Broadband Programme has been announced. A further 41 towns are to be targeted as part of the Metropolitan Area Networks programme which so far has delivered broadband to 26 large cities and towns around the country. The new programme will cost €55 million, funded 90% by the Government in partnership with local authorities. The initial programme has led to the installation of communications links, which are seen as a major driver of inward investment. The 41 towns are: Athenry, Ballinasloe, Ballybofey, Bantry, Blarney, Bundoran, Carrigaline, Castleblaney, Castleisland, Castlerea, Claremorris, Clifden, Clones, Cobh, Cahir, Dingle, Donabate, Dunshaughlin, Enniskerry, Furbo, Kenmare, Kilcoole, Kildare, Kinsale, Knock, Longford, Maynooth, Midleton, Mitchelstown, Mountmellick, Nenagh, Newbridge, Rathangan, Ratoath, Sallins, Skerries, Skibereen, Sligo, Tramore, Trim and Youghal. It is expected that the first construction work will commence in the autumn. Projects will be completed within 12 months. www.dcmnr.gov.ie
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FUJITSU ‘INDUSTRY STRENGTH’ SECURITY FOR ECABINET
Access and control of confidential information is a major issue facing the Irish Government today and specifically the Department of the Taoiseach. Fujitsu today announced that the new eCabinet Application technical infrastructure, which is helping the Department of the Taoiseach tackle the issue of keeping confidential Cabinet documents safe, will be secured using “industry strength” security countermeasures. Fujitsu was chosen by the Department of the Taoiseach to review risks associated with the eCabinet infrastructure and to define a technical security policy. Subsequent to this risk assessment and policy development, Fujitsu worked with the Department to implement various technical security countermeasures to protect the information contained in the eCabinet application from an infrastructure perspective. http://ie.fujitsu.com
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SECOND BIRTHDAY FOR STAR TECHNOLOGY
Star Technology recently celebrated their second birthday and have launched a new web site. www.star-ts.com. Please feel free to drop in to check out new products and information which might be of interest to you.
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AIB SELECTS SUN MICROSYSTEMS JAVA DESKTOP SYSTEM
Sun Microsystems has announced that Allied Irish Bank will migrate 7,500 desktop users and transition branch dependent applications across its entire branch network to Sun’s Java Desktop System. This agreement in collaboration with Horizon Open Systems represents the largest financial services enterprise deal for the Java Desktop System since its availability in December 2003. AIB branch staff in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the UK will transition to the Java Desktop System during 2005 as part of the rollout by AIB of its New Branch Banking Platform http://sun.com
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VODAFONE IRELAND DECLARES 3G OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Vodafone has launched Ireland’s first commercial third generation service. Vodafone Ireland business customers can now avail of the Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS Datacard. The Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS Datacard plugs into customers’ laptops and provides high-speed remote access to company intranet, internet, email and office applications at speeds of up to seven times faster than a GPRS datacard. With download speeds of up to 384 kbps, the Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS datacard significantly increases the speed and efficiency of popular office applications in a mobile environment and enables employees to work more productively and effectively when away from the office. www.vodafone.ie/aboutus/company/press/2004/release290604.jsp
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E-VOTING SOURCECODE PUBLISHED BY BELGIANS
In order to promote the transparency of the Belgian e-voting processes, the Belgian Ministry of the Interior has made the source code of e-voting software publicly available after the June 13 European and regional elections. According to an analysis by data conversion and reverse engineering experts aFRONT, the Digivote system compromises the anonymity of the voting procedure. About 44% of Belgian registered voters cast their vote electronically on the June 13 European and regional elections, an experience considered a success by the authorities. However, a number of local experts and researchers continue to oppose e-voting, which according to them undermines democracy http://europa.eu.int/ISPO/ida/jsps/index.jsp?fuseAction=showDocument&documentID=2686&parent=chapter&preChapterID=0-140-194 and www.afront.be/