04.04.03- ECDL New Syllabus Launch

I am delighted to have been invited here today for the launch of the European Computer Driving Licence Foundations launch of their latest Syllabus Version 4.0.

I am honoured to be here at the launch of the latest offering of a service, which could be considered a model child of the Knowledge Economy, where developments happen fast, where issues of location are less relevant than ever before and knowledge is the key.

Let us consider some interesting facts about the European Computer Driving Licence Foundation;

It was originally established way back in 1997- a mere six years ago.
Dublin is the hub of ECDL activity as it is Dublin where the ECDL Foundation is based.
The ECDL sells knowledge; specifically it is an internationally recognised and accepted qualification, which is designed to explain the key concepts of computing, their practical applications for use in work and life generally- and knowledge key in this Digital Age.
There are at present more than 3 million Computer Driving Licence participants worldwide, across 100 different countries.

Computers and Information and Communication Technologies are tools- tools of enormous significance. What is key is that we are able to employ it in the first place. The ECDL Foundation licences organisations to deliver the ECDL programmes right across the globe- teaching people how to use computers and thereby employ the tool of the knowledge economy.

The programme has been phenomenally successful, in fact I am told that it is the worlds leading computer skills certification and is widely considered to be the global benchmark for computer skills.

Irish Government Strategy for the Information Society

Im in good company here today- just as ECDL has secured the leading position in computer skills certification globally; the Irish Government is committed to securing and maintaining a leading position for Ireland in the global information society.

The Governments strategy in this regard is set out in our Information Society Action Plan. Its called New Connections and you can access it on the Department of An Taoiseach website. Besides assessing our considerable progress to date in developing the Information Society, it charts most importantly our vision for the future.

Ireland has become one of the most dynamic Information Societies in the world. We want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to make the best use of new technologies. The importance we attach to this area is underlined by the fact that the position as Minister of State for the Information Society, which I hold, has been created.

We recognise that ICTs have unprecedented opportunities, particularly for a country, which has historically been at a geographical disadvantage, situated at the periphery of Europe. It is my goal, as the Minister of State responsible for co-ordinating policy in this area that we ensure that Ireland remains at the cutting edge.

e-Government

One of our goals to ensure that Ireland gets the maximum benefit from Information and Communication Technologies is by delivering all public services, that are capable of electronic delivery, available on-line. It is not enough though to have these services made available, we need to ensure that every citizen is in a position to get on-line and use the Net.

The goals of eGovernment are clear:

To Facilitate better citizen access and integration with the public service by realising the potential of ICTs;
To Build collaborative knowledge-based structures focused on serving both citizens and public service; and
To Facilitate continuous adaptation and improvement in service delivery by fully utilising ICTs to deliver public services seamlessly and across traditional boundaries.

This model of service delivery is being put in place around the Public Services Broker- the central access point for all public services- and will be used for both direct and intermediated access e.g. telephone contact centres and one-stop-shops.

Our objective is to have all public services that are capable of electronic delivery available online, through a single point of contact by 2005. This approach will ensure that users of the services have the option of communicating with us in whatever way works best for them. No person is excluded by virtue of his or her personal, economic, or social circumstances.

When people interact with technology they are looking for content, services and applications that they enjoy and that simplify and improve their lives. More and more, these must be tailored to the needs of the users as we live in an increasingly multicultural Ireland and in a Europe with a diversity of cultures and languages.

This increased multiculturalism points to another great advantage of ECDL- the ECDL qualification you earned in Hungary, Spain, or indeed India or Peru, is immediately recognisable when you present yourself for employment in Ireland. In terms of deepening European integration and increased mobility of citizens from members states, the ECDL makes that step of seeking a job in another member state all the more seamless.

We, in Government are also keenly aware of the importance of the Net as a centralised information source for our people.

We have already taken a number of significant steps in that direction, both in terms of the way we conduct business internally within Government Departments and in the way we interact with our customers outside of government. Within government we are redefining the way in which we work. We want to promote maximum efficiency and coordination in workflows across all government departments. In terms of interacting with the public, The Reachservices portal went live last summer. This will work alongside our Oasis and Basis sites, which will expand over time to cover the full range of on-line public sites. This two-pronged approach to the use of ICTs government allows us to provide an improved service to the Irish public.

We realise the tremendous opportunities, which are to be gained from Information and Communication Technologies. They simply need to be harnessed in an effective way for everybody to benefit.

E-Inclusion

We want to increase the numbers using the tools of this digital age. And as I said earlier, these tools should not create barriers but do what people need them to do.

The proposed new National Agreement, entitled Sustaining Progress, recognises that to realise the potential of the Information Society the development of an inclusive information society has to be prioritised and it recognises individuals, communities and businesses as key stakeholders in this regard.

Our goal is to build the capacity necessary to support inclusive Information Society development, to facilitate access and to actively promote participation. We are particularly working to develop coherent strategies to promote participation among those on low-income and late adopters. My officials are presently undertaking a review of all e-inclusion initiatives in the State to date, and will be making recommendations for a more enhanced e-inclusion strategy which focuses in particular on the late adopters of ICTs, the e-excluded.

Technology should liberate people, not build barriers. The challenge for the ICT sector as well as Government is to facilitate access to ICTs, which involves making it simple to use.

The Government, in the new National Agreement Sustaining Progress has established a Steering Group to implement the recommendations of the Task Force on Life Long Learning. The Task Force recognise that Learning is not a cost, but an essential investment, which has tangible economic, personal and societal returns. One of the recommendations of this Task Force, which is to be implemented, is the development of the National Framework of Qualifications.

The goal of this framework is similar to the principle of the ECDL of providing coherence and transparency to learning provision and outcomes, which benefits both the employee and the employer. Similarly to ECDL it presents clear standards, which is recognised by all.

The Government has established various initiatives, which are designed to develop ICT skills. Some of these initiatives include:

The first phase of the Back to Education Initiative incorporating an adult ICT skills programme, was implemented in 2002, providing 6,000 places part-time options in Further Education. This will increase on a phased basis with a view to having 20,000 extra places each year by 2006.
The Higher Education Authority has placed a call for proposals to investigate the potential for e-learning to contribute to the further development of higher and further education and training in Ireland. The intention is to seek proposals, which would, through the implementation of an e-learning service, improve quality, increase access and demonstrate efficiencies in cost per learner in the area of higher education and training.
The National Literacy Agency has been funded to develop a website which provides for interactive worksheets in literacy, numeracy and personal development, allied with a resource directory for tutors and guidelines on the criteria to be used for assessment of ICT based tools.
A new Information Technology Skills Fund has been established to support third level IT skills provision.

Today we have infinitely more options available to us. Modern technologies enable us to do things in new ways, to do them faster, more efficiently, at times that suit us, and very often with less effort. However, the basic principles of communication have not changed. Whichever means of communication we use, it must be appropriate, relevant, attractive and easy to use in order for it to be effective and efficient. This is especially true in this era of information and communication technology.

ECDL works because it is easily accessible and teaches the non-techies how to make the most of computers and to become e-enabled.

Concluding remarks

In short we are working to create a leading knowledge economy in Ireland. In order to lead however, we must look to the future and have a vision. Our vision is set out in New Connections and we are working to attain our goals therein.

It is very clear to me that the ECDL Foundation has just that vision to raise the level of knowledge about Information Technology and in the level of competence in using personal computers and common computer applications for all the citizens of the world.

I am sure this new syllabus marks the next step to implementing your vision. I wish you every success with your continued growth and development.

Croke Park

Dublin