Minister Congratulates Department Recognised for Excellence in Awards

Minister of State Emer Higgins has congratulated two divisions of the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation on being shortlisted for awards.

The Data Governance Unit of the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) has been recognised for its transformative work in building a trusted, transparent, and human-centred digital public service and been shortlisted in two categories at the Ireland eGovernment Awards 2025, these are;

• Cross-Organisation Collaboration
• AI in Governance

This work supports key national and EU strategies, including the Public Service Data Strategy, National AI Strategy, Better Public Services Strategy, and EU Digital Decade Goals. Ireland’s recent ranking as #1 in the OECD for trusted use of data underscores the global significance of this work.

This week, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) was also shortlisted in a number of categories for the National Procurement Awards 2025.

These categories are;

• Best Public Sector, Semi State or Government Procurement Project of the Year
• Best Education, Training or People Development Award, and
• Best Procurement Collaboration Project of the Year – Infrastructure & Public Services

The OGP has been recognised for its work in advancing professionalisation in public procurement by strengthening sourcing expertise to ensure a more strategic and skilled procurement workforce. OGP has also been recognised for its collaboration with the Irish Coast Guard, sourcing Operational Dry Suit Systems for Irish Coast Guard Volunteers.

Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment Emer Higgins congratulated the Department, and said;

“I am delighted to see the OGCIO and OGP shortlisted for these awards. This recognition reflects their hard work and demonstrates the Government’s commitment to delivering more reliable and efficient public services for people.

“The data governance work delivered by the OGCIO is enhancing trust in technology and how it serves the people of Ireland. Through this work, they are leading a data governance approach that is ethical, inclusive and designed for long term public value.”

Over the past 18 months, the OGCIO has delivered a suite of high-impact initiatives that are reshaping how data and AI are governed across Ireland’s public sector. These efforts are grounded in the principles of transparency, accountability, and inclusion, aligning with both national strategies and global goals.

ENDS