Cornput. Enciron. Urhun S~cm.s Vol. IO, No. 1, pp. 5-l. 1985 Printed in Great Britain

019%9715/85 $3.00 + 0.00 Pergamon Press Ltd

ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, IRELAND*

MR PETER BARRY, T.D.

I AM delighted to be present with you today at the opening of this International Workshop on Local Government and Information Technology organized jointly by the Local Government Computer Services Board and the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association. May I first extend a warm welcome to Ireland to our guests from overseas who are attending the conference. I hope you will enjoy your visit to this country, that your deliberations will be fruitful and constructive and that you will have the opportunity during your stay of seeing some of the attractions of our countryside. You are very welcome.

It is by now a truism to state that we live in an “information society” in which the government, the private sector and, indeed, society generally have experienced rapid and unprecedented change in a few short years in the handling, analysis and processing of information. These are areas that are obviously integral to the very nature of administration and to policy formulation and implementation. The development of information technology has been so rapid and its effects so sudden and so far-reaching that the range of implications for central and local government administration are even now not yet fully apparent. The political, social and organizational consequences of this technology are clearly and inexorably transforming society. It surely follows that these effects must be monitored, assessed and properly analysed if we are in turn to utilize

to best effect the vast potential of information technology not merely in the area of administration but in the wider context of enhancement of the quality of life.

The objective of everyone at this conference is the encouragement and fostering of a balanced, professional and structured approach to the design and operation of information systems so as to best meet the challenges and requirements of management in the area of public administration. It is no exaggeration to state that the development of central and local government policy and objectives is almost entirely dependent on a responsive, flexible, adaptable administrative system. This conference, therefore, is not considering issues of interest only to the academic specialist or matters that may be important but that are far removed from the workplace of day-to-day living. It relates to the very core and basis of the machinery of administration and the issues you will be considering are of the most fundamental and critical importance.

It is commonplace nowadays to speak of the computer revolution but it is perhaps more accurate to consider two sequential revolutions. The growth in microtechnology is a new phenomenon of the past few years but its pervasive effects and impact are extending into every area of society. It is already apparent that it will lead to fundamental and critical alterations in the nature of administrative work and in social organization. The replacement of “paper- based” systems by electronic data storage is no longer a Utopian image but a reality that is already altering the nature and development of work patterns. The convergence of computer and telecommunications technologies will, whatever the evolutionary time-scale, surely lead to the almost complete integration of computer systems and other office technology with far-reaching social consequences.

The impact of these changes will be enormous and I would like to briefly mention some of the likely consequences. I think it fair to state that the speed with which the “new” technology has developed has been in many ways unstructured and that it has been powered almost by self-momentum. At first, for example, it seemed probable that the computer would inevitably mould administration towards pervasive centralization and, indeed, some gloomy observers spoke darkly of Orwellian influences unleashed beyond recall. The development of microtechnology has altered this perspective and in some ways challenged the concept of the centralized data processing organization. Indeed, there is now a real possibility of a proliferation of uncoordinated information systems leading to what has been termed the “disintegration of corporate systems”

*To avoid delay this paper has been published without the authors’ corrections.

6 Minister’s address

through the growth of non-compatible devices and a variety of languages. A central challenge facing us must surely be to achieve greater equilibrium and harmony between technological and

organizational development. The development of the new technology raises many vital issues. There is obviously the

vulnerability of society to any breakdown in information systems. There are important issues relating to the privacy of the individual. There are the likely consequences of the technology on

employment patterns. It is, I believe, important that governments should seriously analyse all these issues so that

technical, organizational and social adjustment to the rapid changes being forced on society should be as flexible, structured and harmonious as possible. We cannot prevent the impact of technological change or its effects on society. We can, however, seek to mould it with the goal of minimizing undesirable consequences.

We have had the opportunity for some years to consider the likely employment effects of traditional data processing but are only now beginning to assess the impact of office automation through the application of new and converging technologies to the full range of administrative functions. The distinction between the two is, of course, an arbitrary one and there is obviously a close interconnection. It is already clear that substantial job displacement may well be a major consequence of the impact of microelectronic technology even if, as is also likely, large-scale job creation will in turn be provided as a result of the creation and provision of new services and of expansion in the demand for information.

It is obviously important that governments should not allow change to occur in the form of a leviathan mindlessly and in a piecemeal framework altering traditional work patterns. The education and training of our young people in the new technology is one obvious and central element in terms of our adjustment to the impact of microtechnology and computerized systems generally. Equally, it is important to develop proper adjustment techniques so that the new technologies are properly integrated into existing structures in a cost-effective way, in a manner consistent with policy goals and objectives and through the achievement of a desirable balance between centralization and decentralization. It is surely not pessimism but reasoned sense to seek to avoid social disequilibrium even as we take advantage of technological advance in improving productivity and achieving a wider and better provision of services.

We in Ireland are determined to achieve the best possible balance in the application of new technology and to obtain maximum value from the potential it offers in so many areas. We have been extremely successful in our efforts to attract high technology industries to this country, and I would like to briefly speak to you of our achievements in this field. In our educational system we are seeking to properly equip our young people with the necessary skills and competence to meet the requirements of these industries. It is a mark of the progress made in this area that last year, for example, Ireland produced more computer science graduates per capita than the United States. In the past five years, Ireland has achieved a 33% annual growth in the export of electronic goods. There are at present over 200 electronic companies in this country employing 17,000 people in manufacturing and a further 4000 in associated activities. In the computer hardware industry, there are currently 30 companies engaged in computer manufacture. The vast potential of the

market can be easily gauged by the fact that the European market for computers was &IO billion in 1982 and is likely to double by the end of the decade.

Software and systems development is an area of almost limitless potential growth in Europe over the coming years and Ireland is well poised to take maximum advantage of this development. The European market for independent packaged software is likely to grow from under &400 million in 1982 to El600 million by 1987, a growth rate of 27%. Several of the major software companies have established operations in Ireland and there is every reason to be confident that this trend will continue. To enhance our potential in this area, a National Software Centre is being established to assist both new Irish and overseas companies setting up in this country and to increase the technical capability of Irish software companies.

I mention these developments simply to illustrate to you our determination to take full advantage of all the possibilities opened up by the new technologies. All of you here today are experts in the field of information technology and will, therefore, understand our pride in the extraordinary advances we have made in this country in so short a time.

Minister’s address 7

The future is unchartered and uncertain but it is important for us all that thought and proper consideration and analysis be given to the impact and potential of information technology for society. This conference is a heartening sign that such assessment is taking place. I wish you well in your deliberations and extend to you a warm welcome to a country fully aware of all the implications of this technology and determined, as are you, that it will be put to best effect in meeting the challenges of the future.