|
The commission works as an independent advisory body to the government addressing issues regarding communications and information technologies. It is comprised of twenty members representing the business community, the social partners and the government itself. It is to be chaired by Danny O'Hare, former president of Dublin City University (DCU).
"It is clear that the Information Society agenda is central to our future economic and social development. I am confident that the new Information Society Commission will play a key role in shaping government's response, and in highlighting the public policy issues that need to be prioritised," the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern TD said.
The wide-ranging agenda for the Information Society includes issues regarding telecoms infrastructure, the law, e-business, e-government, bridging the digital divide and life-long learning. Life-long learning programmes are intended to increase training and education for individuals throughout their lifespan.
Some of the responsibilities of the commission are to highlight the challenges and opportunities of information developments as well as to benchmark Ireland's progress. The commission also seeks to identify areas of co-operation with other jurisdictions, including establishment of links with the Northern Ireland Information Age Initiative and establishing working groups, as needed, to provide advice on specific areas of public policy development.
The government had faced serious criticism over the last 10 months for not making the appointments sooner after the previous commission stepped down. Groups including IBEC and the Labour Party had accused the government of losing its way in terms of its e-business and information society aims.
Earlier this year, it was estimated that the Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, had approved an IEP50 million (EUR63.49 million) budget for an information society fund and it was thought that those funds would be matched for 2002. The budget for 2000 was around IEP40 million.
The new Commission members are Claire Cunningham from Aura Internet Services, Dr. Christopher Coughlan from Compaq, Michael Byrne from Ennis Information Age Town, Jerry Shanahan from MSF (Manufacturing Science Finance), Karen Hynes from Chambers of Commerce of Ireland, Colm Reilly from the Irish Internet Association, Innes Bailey from the National Adult Literacy Association, Dr. Eamonn Conway from Mary Immaculate College UL (University of Limerick), Robert Johnson from JLS Software Solutions, Clodagh O'Donnell from IBM, Dee Cari from Gartner Consulting, Marion O'Neill from Kilkenny Information Age Town, Pat O'Hara from the Western Development Commission, Christopher Took, Charles Stanley-Smith from Piercom, Brian Lennon from St. Oliver's College Drogheda, Donal Toolan from the Forum of People with Disabilities, Kathryn Raleigh from IBEC, Joe Horan the County Manager of Meath, Peter Ryan from the Department of the Taoiseach.
For more information visit http://www.isc.ie/cgi-local/index.cgi.
|
