Public Service Transformation Week: Friday 14 November 2025

The Civic Forum
Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG)
Time: 9.30am – 4pm
The Civic Forum provides a forum for dialogue between the state at central and local level and the community and voluntary sector. The theme of this year’s event is: Social Inclusion achieving better outcomes together
Event booking details: In person by invitation only. Please email: communitypolicy@drcdg.gov.ie

Portiuncula Grand Rounds - Connect event
HSE
Time: 10am to 12pm
A dynamic Spark Connect event at Portiuncula University Hospital highlighting healthcare innovations, staff creativity, and fostering collaborative healthcare innovation communities.
Event booking details: In person for Portiuncula Hospital MDT staff, Portiuncula University Hospital, CEIST room, Garbally Demesne, Dunlo, Ballinasloe, Galway, H53 T971

Counselling & Mental Health Pilot in Primary Schools
Department of Education and Youth
Time: 11am-11.30am
NEPS leads on the Counselling and Mental Health Pilot in Primary Schools which has two strands. Strand 1 is the provision of one-to-one counselling support to a small number of primary school pupils in counties Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, and Tipperary. Strand 2 has introduced new mental health supports into primary schools, called Education Wellbeing Teams. The teams comprise, Education Wellbeing Practitioners working under the direction and supervision of NEPS Psychologists. The Education Wellbeing Teams are working in clusters of primary and special schools in Carlow, Cork, Dublin 7 and Dublin 16. Education Wellbeing Teams are working in schools with children, school staff and parents. Sharon Eustace from NEPS will lead on outlining the work being done on this initiative.
Event booking details: Internal event only

Beyond Assumptions - The X-Factor (CX/EX/UX) Workshop
Department of Education and Youth
Time: 11am-11.30am
Diane O'Gorman will give a presentation on the three year Customer Service Implementation Plan and associated strategy. Ciara Manning and Danny Griffin from the CMS project team will then explore practical CX/EX/UX techniques to demonstrate how we can utilise a Customer Centric approach to design our services and challenge our assumptions and processes using evidence.
Event booking details: Internal event only

Young Scientist of the Year
Department of Education and Youth
Time: 1pm-2pm
Presentation of the winning project: ACT (Aid Care Treat): App-timising emergency response. The project is a medical assistance app designed to support emergency healthcare responses. It integrates crucial features to provide swift and effective aid during critical situations, including the ability to share precise geolocation coordinates and transfer medical data efficiently to emergency services.

In September the team went on to bring their project to the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) 2025 in Riga.

The team and their teachers, mentors will present their project, talk about their participation in 2024 (when runners up), the improvements made to come back and win in 2025, what they have gained from the experience, how their achievement has impacted them as students and how it is inspiring students coming into their school to take up Stem subjects. And Q&A from attendees
Event booking details: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/61be1879-11ba-4061-855d-ba60f4283cee@f5c0d15a-8693-47e3-b506-b1617300787f

Newly Published AI Guidance for Schools
Department of Education and Youth
Time: 2pm-3pm
The publication of the Guidance on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Schools is designed to support teachers and school leaders in their planning for the potential use of AI in teaching and learning, and to ensure that, where AI is deployed, it is used safely, ethically and appropriately.

It highlights relevant factors and suitable resources to inform schools and teachers in planning for the possible use of AI in teaching and learning. In addition, it supports good decision making around AI tools and practice where they are being used by teachers in their planning and preparation, as well as in some aspects of teaching and learning. The Digital Policy for Schools Unit will provide an overview of the Guidance.
Event booking details: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/97dc375b-01de-46d9-81f7-2be9a268d575@f5c0d15a-8693-47e3-b506-b1617300787f

Slaintecare
Department of Health
Sláintecare Webinar - ‘Transformation in Ireland’s Health and Social Care Services- what it means for the patient and service user.’
Time: 11am-12.30pm
As Ireland’s largest public service transformation programme, this webinar will explore what Sláintecare means for the patient and service user in terms of improvements to access, capacity and quality of our health and social care services and will shine a light on a number of digital innovations including the HSE Health App, the Healthy Islands Project and Practical lessons from deploying AI in an Irish Hospital
Event booking details: https://eu01web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Guz6Ry8eQku8BMGkj40-OQ#/registration

Slaintecare: Beyond Paper: Digitising Cancer Care with NCIS
Time: n/a
Find out all about the digital transformation of cancer records through the implementation of the National Cancer Information System (NCIS).
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7tgO7Vv0c8&list=PL-709cJ0J8489xHiHeHCC1LgrUBJQa6EL

Slaintecare: Healthtech - Working with the HSE
Time: tbc
Event booking details: registration link to follow.

Slaintecare: BowelScreen Portal - Increasing accessibility to BowelsScreen kits online
Time: n/a
This project makes it easier for people to request their home test kit when they are invited to take part for the first time. People can now request their home test kit online, in addition to the options of requesting the kit by telephone or email. People can also check the BowelScreen register online to see when their next test is due and to update their contact details.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDFsd6n1hFE

Slaintecare: HSE Health App - where are we now?
Time: n/a
Helene Troissant, a new mother, explains how the HSE Health App helped her during and after her pregnancy and why she would encourage others to use it. She found the medicine tab particularly useful for keeping track of what she was taking and the links to resources like breastfeeding support groups and self-care advice
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VSafCdkLlk

Slaintecare: Healthtech - Since the MoU
Time: n/a
See how the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between the HSE and HealthTech Ireland has evolved into the creation of the National Health Collaboration Council to enable collaborative leadership and governance that drives innovation, enhances patient outcomes, and supports the successful implementation of national health policies.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arPi9ssH17A