Mr Pearson also emphasised that ‘joining-up’ public services was a major priority as government reshapes its services across traditional departmental boundaries and targets delivery to the citizen, highlighting the fact that technology itself is now a key enabler in the all important transformation process.
The government has established a target for Northern Ireland that all of its key services should be capable of electronic delivery by 2005. The e-Government Pilot Project has been created to contribute towards meeting that goal.
Referring to the need for successful co-operation and partnerships, the Minister continued: "The ‘freeing-up’ of both government and provider to initiate and develop new ideas will be one area which I strongly believe will reap substantial rewards for us all over the years to come."
He added: “The companies involved will be able to demonstrate their capability to deliver practical innovative solutions and develop products and services which will be marketable beyond these shores. Indeed, such successes will make for profitable business and an improved overall knowledge based economy here in Northern Ireland.”
Helen Roulston, Chairman of the Northern Ireland ICT Federation, Momentum, said: "The e-government programme is a major initiative that, once completed, will affect every citizen in Northern Ireland and there are many opportunities for ICT-related companies to design new products and services that will help the e-government programme materialise."
Quelle: 4NI
