Policy information
Digital Inclusion
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
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The internet is a resource for everyone. It connects billions of people and offers countless ways to interact, communicate, be creative and productive. This means new opportunities in terms of how we live, work, and learn. It is vital that everyone is given the opportunity to participate fully in today’s digital world.
The first phase of the National Digital Strategy was launched in July 2013. This strategy focuses on digital engagement and how Ireland can benefit from a digitally engaged society. It sets out a clear vision and a number of practical actions to help increase the number of citizens and businesses engaging online through industry and enterprise, citizen training, schools and education.
Building on Phase 1, the government is looking to develop a new National Digital Strategy. This is in response to technological change over the years and the range of opportunities and challenges this presents to Irish society.
A public consultation on a new National Digital Strategy was held at the end of 2018. This consultation invited members of the public and interested stakeholders to make submissions that would inform the scope and delivery of the new strategy which is now being drafted.
Web accessibility ensures that people can use and operate websites and mobile application based services, especially people with disabilities. When websites are correctly designed and developed, all users generally have equal access to information and functionality.
In December 2016, the new EU Directive on the accessibility of websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies was published. This Directive requires public bodies to ensure their websites and apps are accessible to users and especially people with disabilities, by making them perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. EU Member States are required to monitor and report on their progress. Ireland, along with other Member States, was given 21 months to transfer the Directive into Irish law. This Directive should be transposed into Irish law soon.
In a connected society, digital skills are essential if we are going to realise the full social and economic potential of the digital world. The government has introduced several initiatives and programmes to help develop the digital skills of people all over Ireland.
The Digital Skills for Citizens Scheme supports and empowers citizens who have not used the internet to take their first steps in getting online. Since 2017, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) has provided €5.5 million to community, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations to deliver informal basic digital skills training to people nationwide.
Training classes are available to all citizens who don’t have the confidence, motivation or skills to benefit from digital inclusion. Training is targeted at people over 45, farming communities, small business owners, the unemployed, persons with disabilities and disadvantaged groups.
The government is committed to promoting the use of technology in education, and creating an environment that supports positive outcomes in line with the National Digital Strategy and the Digital Strategy for Schools. The School Digital Champion Programme is a unique opportunity for second level students to take part in an innovative programme that enables them to develop their creativity, critical-thinking and communications skills. Students are asked to complete a project using their digital and communications skills to develop a project that could benefit their school, local community or local business.
The internet connects billions of people all over the world, giving them continued access to new markets and products. The future of business and enterprise is reliant on digital platforms; no business now can afford to ignore the potential of digital markets.
For many businesses though, the question is not whether to trade online, it's how to start. Designed to assist small businesses, the Trading Online Voucher Scheme offers training and advice, along with financial assistance of up to €2,500. This is a unique programme under the National Digital Strategy, funded by DECC and delivered by the nationwide network of Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs).
The scheme is aimed at businesses with limited online trading presence and:
- ten employees or less
- €2 million turnover or less
- at least six months trading
The Digital Hub Development Agency manages The Digital Hub, the largest cluster of digital media, technology and Internet businesses in Ireland. The Digital Hub provides office space and business support services to growing technology companies and industry organisations such as the Irish Internet Association, NDRC and Silicon Republic. It is also the EMEA headquarters of some major international companies. Over 200 companies have progressed through the Hub since its foundation in 2003, generating more than 2,000 jobs in the digital, creative and media industries. These companies have included Etsy, Distilled Media Group (Daft.ie), Havok, Houghton Mifflin (Riverdeep), Amazon, Kavaleer and MTT.
The National Digital Research Centre (NDRC) was established in 2007 by a group of educational institutions: UCD, TCD, DCU, IADT and NCAD. The Centre’s mission is to create globally scalable companies in the digital sector and it does this by providing hands-on support and investment for Irish companies at a very early stage using an accelerator model. By the end of 2018, NDRC's supported companies raised €250 million in follow on investment, employing over 1063 people directly with an overall market capital value of €608 Million.
The NDRC operates under an agreement with the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment. Under the terms of the concession agreement, DECC completed a review in 2017 of the policy underpinning the NDRC Programme. Based on the recommendations from this review, the government decided to continue its support for start-ups in the digital sector after the current agreement ends. This support will be delivered through an operator who will be chosen by a procurement process which is currently underway. The NDRC will continue to deliver early stage enterprise support pending the outcome of the procurement process.
The vision for the EU Digital Single Market is to establish a single market for digital services in the Union, while ensuring fair competition, a high level of consumer protection and personal data protection for European citizens and business.
Since 2015, 28 out of 30 EU Digital Single Market legislative initiatives have been adopted under three pillars:
- Access to online products and services for consumers and businesses
- Shaping the environment for digital networks and services to grow and thrive
- Maximising the growth potential of the European digital economy
The European Commission considers that the DSM can create opportunities for new startups and existing companies in a market of over 500 million people, potentially contributing €415 billion per year to Europe's economy, creating jobs and transforming our public services.
Enhanced use of digital technologies can improve citizens' access to information and culture, improve their job opportunities and promote modern open government.
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) has been responsible for negotiations on a number of legislative initiatives under the EU Digital Single Market, including:
- EU Roam Like at Home
- WiFi4EU
- European Electronic Communications Code
- Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications
- ePrivacy Regulation
- Free Flow of Data Regulation
DECC feeds into a whole of government perspective on the DSM via the Interdepartmental Committee on the EU Digital Single Market led by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
The European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) represents a revision of the entire EU regulatory framework for the telecommunications sector. It will repeal and replace the Framework Directive, the Authorisation Directive, the Access Directive and the Universal Services Directive.
