Press release
Publication of Harnessing Digital – 2023 Progress Report
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
The government has today published the 2023 Progress Report on our National Digital Strategy, Harnessing Digital – The Digital Ireland Framework, which outlines the progress achieved across enterprise, public services, infrastructure and skills over 2023.
Launched in early 2022, Harnessing Digital reflects Ireland’s ambition to remain a European and global digital leader, and our strong commitment to progressing the digital transformation of our economy and society.
Welcoming the publication of the report, the Taoiseach said:
“2023 was another year of progress towards Ireland becoming a truly digital country. This will have positive benefits for society, as well as increasing our economic competitiveness.
"We want to ensure that all businesses have the opportunity to embrace digital, which can expand their customer base and help them to cut costs.
"High speed internet access is an important part of this; and so it’s very positive that over 200,000 homes, farms and business across Rural Ireland can now connect to the fibre network under the National Broadband Plan. We anticipate up to another 100,000 this year. It is the biggest single investment ever in Rural Ireland. There has been continued progress on digital skills and almost 300 businesses benefitted last year from the government’s Digital Transition Fund.
"For the citizen, we are currently developing a new Life Events digital portal, which will make it easier for people to engage with a range of public services for important life events such as registering a birth or death. Driving licenses and birth certs will be the first services available on the portal.”
The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney noted:
“Progress across our digital agenda has been significant, including in the fast-evolving area of AI. AI is a powerful technology that will have huge impacts on our economy and society. We are progressing the implementation of our National AI Strategy, and the government is establishing a new AI Advisory Council to provide independent expert advice to Government on AI policy.”
Welcoming the second National Digital Strategy progress report, Minister for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Dara Calleary, added:
“On the wider digital agenda, our engagement with stakeholders, including industry and regulators, continues to be an important part of our approach. As part of this engagement, the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum, a commitment in Harnessing Digital, met for the first time in December since its recent membership refresh. Ireland is also set to chair the D9+ group of digitally advanced countries over the first half of 2024, which, together with Ireland’s second Digital Ireland Conference in April 2024, will be a further opportunity for meaningful engagement.”
Recognising Ireland’s important role in enforcing digital regulation, Harnessing Digital reflects a strong commitment to a modern, cohesive, well-resourced regulatory framework. This includes the EU Digital Services Act, for which the government is progressing the necessary legislation, the Digital Services Bill, as a priority to ensure our Digital Services Coordinator (Coimisiún na Meán) is operating effectively by the February 2024 deadline.
Political leadership and strong cross-government implementation structures with regular stakeholder consultation ensures the impactful delivery of Harnessing Digital.
This approach is particularly important in the context of the fast-paced evolution of AI, which has both significant potential to enhance our socio-economic wellbeing, enable innovation, and advance productivity, while also bringing risks and challenges. The government is committed to an ethical and human rights-based approach to AI, as reflected in our National AI Strategy, AI – Here for Good.
Under the 2023 EU Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), which measures our progress against other EU member states, Ireland holds a leading position on several enterprise, skills, connectivity and public services indicators. The index also highlights areas where progress could be accelerated, including driving higher levels of enterprise adoption of AI, Cloud and Big Data, continuing to meet the demand for digital skills, and citizen access to Digital Health records. The government is committed to making progress in these areas.
Highlights of Harnessing Digital in 2023 includes:
- the €85 million Digital Transition Fund is helping companies at all stages of their digital journey, with almost 300 businesses approved for funding to date
- a new Digital Portal, to advise businesses on their digital journey, will be launched in Q1 2024
- on AI, the CeADAR research centre has been designated as Ireland’s AI Innovation Hub; and a new AI Advisory Council will provide expert advice to Government on the responsible use of AI
- the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum membership was renewed in 2023 to take into account new areas of focus under the Work Programme. Discussions focused on digital skills; maximising the impact of the Digital Transition Fund; GovTech; and AI. The Forum will continue to support the government in driving the digitalisation of enterprise across Ireland
- progress towards connectivity targets is on track with 70% of premises in commercial areas upgraded; over 600,000 premises with full fibre subscriptions; and under the National Broadband Plan, over 200,000 premises passed with full fibre
- Broadband Connection Points are now in place in just under 300 locations; and high-speed broadband infrastructure is available to all primary schools in rural areas, including islands, under the National Broadband Plan
- the Mid Term Review of the National Cyber Security Strategy 2019-2024 was published in June 2023, setting out 18 new strategic actions, including the development of a Cyber Security Industry Strategy
- a range of digital upskilling and reskilling initiatives are available via Skillnet Ireland, Human Capital Initiative and Springboard+
- implementation of the Adult Literacy for Life Strategy continues, and Be Media Smart 2023, funded by Coimisiún na Meán, was launched to improve media literacy
- Digital for Good: Ireland’s Digital Inclusion Roadmap, published in August, sets out initiatives which contribute to the improvement of digital inclusion
- the development of a Life Events digital portal is advancing, with driving licences and birth certificates to be the first services available
- the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 was commenced in March 2023, and Coimisiún na Meán was formally established in March, with key roles now in place and recruitment ongoing
- two additional Commissioners will be appointed to the Data Protection Commission shortly; the DPC received €27.9 million under Budget 2024, an almost eightfold increase on the 2015 allocation
This is the second Harnessing Digital Progress Report, the first was published in December 2022.
Harnessing Digital – The Digital Ireland Framework was launched in February 2022.
It sets out a roadmap to drive and enable the digital transition across the economy and society, to maximise the efficiency of public services, the productivity and innovation of enterprise, and our overall competitiveness and sustainability.
Targets and workstreams are included across four dimensions, in line with the EU’s Digital Decade 2030 programme - Digitalisation of Enterprise; Skills; Digital Infrastructure; and Digitalisation of Public Services.
The strategy re-enforces our commitment to a modern, cohesive, well-resourced regulatory framework to effectively oversee and enforce existing and new regulations.
Implementation is progressed via the Cabinet Committee on the Economy and Investment, and supporting groups.
Progress across all four dimensions over the course of 2023 is detailed in this Progress Report.
