The awards were presented by the Minister for Expenditure and Public Reform Brendan Howlin, TD.
At the awards, organiser Maeve Kneafsey of Elucidate said much-needed funds could be raised for the Exchequer if know-how gained by fast-moving Irish State bodies in the e-government space was commercialised and sold overseas.
Read more: Could Irish State bodies export e-government know-how?
Speaking on the publication, the Minister stated “The Government recognises the need for public services to be delivered faster, better and more efficiently to citizens and businesses. Intelligent, targeted use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and eGovernment are key enablers for these improvements. The new strategy places citizens and businesses at the centre of eGovernment”.
Read more: IE: 'Supporting Public Service Reform - eGovernment 2012-2015' published
The Government have suggested 45 ways of improving efficiency, avoiding duplication, saving money, and making online services more attractive.
The strategy, published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, marks a resurgence of interest in e-government. Although Ireland was an early leader in sectors such as online tax returns, e-services have taken a back seat in recent years while Dublin struggled with the country's economic crisis.
Read more: Social media and re-usable data in Ireland's new e-government programme
"Supporting Public Service Reform: eGovernment 2012-2015", contains 45 ways of increasing efficiency, avoiding duplication, saving money, and making online services more attractive.
The strategy considers incentives to encourage online use such as lowering fees, priority handling, and later deadlines for online applications.