That’ll annoy Aenghus O’Snoddaigh no doubt!

500 EUR each. The taxpayer pays it.

might save a fortune in paper, but if you look at the demographic our TDs, it will cost a fortune training these eejits how to use them!

Conor,

It saves NOTHING in paper. Ministers will continue their profligate spending regardless. The more good money you throw after bad money, the more the waste accumulates. Instead, they should’ve changed the rules to allow only cheaper inkjet printers – not expensive laser printers and toners.

they’ll be given to their children

These people are set in their hundred year old ways.
There’s no chance that they will all use these to their full potential.
Maybe 10 or 20 will, but the rest will leave them sitting in a bin as if it was for free.
Oh, wait…

Why ‘can’t’ they buy their own like everbody else…

Our Government, leading by example yet again

If they get the Android tablets they can have Angry Birds for free.

Good idea!

I’m glad you find it hilarious. The last laugh will be on your face when you’re hit with new stealth taxes to pay for these Apps.

Rob, please point out where exactly i said it was hilarious?!

Email????

I don’t think that’s cynical at all. Its simply the way our government works

Great idea if you could resolve the security and data privacy issues.

Spot on John. I use it on a BYOD basis at work, it’s the cats.

@Desmond:

What is the difference between a governmental IT department fixing your personal tablet and me or you bringing our laptop into the local it shop to get repaired?

There are actually less privacy and security issues in a governmental it department because they will have signed confidentiality agreements

I use an iPhone supplied by work. They have the ability to see everything on the phone, install/remove apps as they see appropriate, etc. it was the same with my blackberry previously. No way I’m gonna give my IT dept that kinda control over my personal devices so my Galaxy Nexus and Xyboard tablet are mine and not used for work at all. If they want to have total control over my device then they can pay for the device.

(btw, not actually complaining about the control, because it’s a necessary evil. I have a lot of sensitive emails and docs that require NDA’s that if leaked would put us at a disadvantage to competitors).

@fiachra it would be best served buying a tablet with the most comprehensive set of apps and support available, in this case it’s the iPad and on the desktop it’s windows, regardless of which is the better device or OS.

Eric,

Always great when you can justify Fine Gael’s profligate spending.

Niall Connolly,

You’re missing the point. Why should the taxpayer pay 500 EUR for ministers apps?

Considering how much they are all paid, they can easily buy it themselves.

But then again, they’re probably all going *Sure why should i pay for it, when i can claim it all back on my expenses.*

€50,000 would buy a lot of iPads….

= More costs = higher taxes.

Investment in technology saves the taxpayer money long term

Investment in technology at the OPPORTUNE TIME saves money. This is not the opportune time!

@David, this government doesn’t do long-term planning

They should all install the forthcoming “rate your TD” app.

There is a pilot scheme for 12 (I think?) secondary schools across the country to use iPads instead of books. We’ll see how that goes

Did you not read what the article said about the offset in the costs of these devices that will arise from not having to send and post government publications to TDs and Senators?

And what, Desmond, is the difference between emailing from a tablet and emailing from a laptop?

Good idea, but again, I don’t see why we have to pay for it.

John, if it’s an additional device, then I am 50/50 with you on it John. I’d want to see printers/printing expenses being removed from offices, then I’d be OK with us paying because of the massive potential savings. Otherwise, the politicians should pay.

But if they bought the right device, these could be laptop replacements, and then I’d be OK with the tax payer paying for them – with the proviso that we get them back at the end of term or the TD pays (amazing how many executives I’ve seen “lose” mobile devices for their kids *cough*).

Right now, I’d want to ask serious questions about the lack of IT strategy by purchasing now when a major shift in mobile computing is about to happen. Wait a few months, tender, evaluate, and then buy whatever platform/device suits best.

tell you what, do the same calculation but replace it with cost of ink, paper and maintenance contracts for printers, not to mention staffing costs and you’ve got yourself comparative cost analysis that could convey your argument a bit better

But the cost of ink and paper and maintenance etc will not be eliminated, nor even will a significant dent be put in it. At least not enough to justify this. My argument is for cheaper printers + a BYOD scheme where the taxpayer does not have to foot the cost for their toys

“Never mind the Clowns in Govt won’t even know how to use them”, have to agree with you there just think of all the weekends away, training days / nights, trips to America ,that theses clowns will claim expenses for so they can learn how to check their Facebook machine and Twitter machine on their new contraption yoke thingys..

Oh no….here’s the start of another another iOS v Android debate.

Either way surely these devices will pay for themselves in the long run?

The article never said they’re getting iPads. It says “TDs and Senators are to get tablet devices” and “the Oireachtas Commission has decided to put out a tender for the tablets “.

It will more than likely be iPads. That is what all the promo shots etc have been angled at, the tender will also probably go to the same company that got the tender for the iPad pilot scheme for secondary schools

iOS v Android – let’s from a committee to look into it. They can issue a report which we can then have a nice launch for (with an app of course) and then we’ll archive it away so that only students and politically interested people will find it!ha!

(*I don’t claim that this is a new idea of course, please see reports on Seanad reform for more information ;-) )

….though I agree with giving them ipads :-)

@rob c’mon man inkjet printers are damn expensive to run and horrendously slow. Why do you think you can buy the printer cheaper than the cartridge (see the Gillette razor model). And totally agree with the previous poster a bespoke app could be used to centralise expenses and mileage based on gps location tracking all fairly easy, though our past governments have a bad history in bespoke software and systems Pace and the HSE salary software come to mind.

Not a fair remark.

FG will meet their water-loo at the next election when people vote them out of office. These Apps only add to the expenses because the printers still exist. In other words, it is an added expense.

Exactly what I am suggesting! Bring Your Own Device. It has been hugely successful in other countries like Australia where the government and all the major businesses are doing it and saving millions per year.

John we both know they are going to claim *Security Issues* as to why they can’t even though its a good idea.

Yes it could be 500 per device (if they go for iPads, some android devices much cheaper) but put that into perspective when compared to the amount of printing that goes on by each TD (Aengus O’Snodaigh included!) Over the life of the device the savings should be great. Thats not even taking into account the cost of shredding and recycling etc! You also have the added benefit of the TD’s being more conected to the information they should be using everyday. Being able to search through documents instead of manually searching etc.

Ciaran,

Printing costs will be unchanged even after the waste in money of these apps. Can’t you see that?

You do understand, Rob, that the cost of these tablets will be offset by savings in printing costs? Or did you not actually read the article?

The printing costs won’t drop. They say it will to justify their new toys at our expense. After everything this (and previous governments) have said, you STILL trust them?!

Desmond and John,

You need to read more. The costs will not change. If anything, they will accumulate.

What should’ve been introduced is Inkjet only printers instead of expensive laser printers.

Ministers should not have gotten free Apps subsidized from the taxpayer – they should’ve paid themselves.

@Rob

Please read my comments properly before replying to me. I am agreeing with you. No to the taxpayer paying for tablets. If they want them, operate a BYOD scheme. Bring in Cheap inkjets like a kodak and save money for us all.

At 12:09, 12 blueshirt supporters voted you down. Clearly many mistaken red thumbs. No wonder the country is corrupt with this waste of money. I agree with you, Mr. Jackson.

Unbelievable how stupid some Irish people are by supporting tablet devices for members of the Oireachtas. There is a question posted on Yahoo Answers entitled ‘why are Irish people so stupid?’

Utter retardation of the voters.

Probably supporters of Fine Gael.

That’s it Rob. Anybody who disagrees with you or Tim in your constantly ranting is “stupid”, “retarded” or “corrupt”. Clearly you read your Dale Carnegie book on “How to win friends and influence people”. But sure in the face of such intelligence as shown by your comments how could we be anything else!

PS – Here’s a few more rants for your FG bashing. Just so you can have some variety in your comments.
- FG people come into your house and suck your blood during the night
- FG people run over your dog or cat when they get a chance
- FG are actually made up of the “lizard people” who want to control the human race. That goes with the first point above by the way
- FG meet secretly every night to eat lobster and caviar. That’s when they aren’t busy sucking people’s blood.
- FG

Thank you Rob. Sadly, many people are…

I did not vote FG/LAB, nor would I vote FF. I do not agree with their policies and speak out against them harshly at times. But I would never speak like that of the Irish people. What annoys me is the people who do not vote in the first place complaining about the way the country is run.

i will vote what ever way i feel like, and bitter little men can keep on moaning about it on an internet forum, you know what? what we say here doesn’t matter!

Good man Paddy. As long as you do vote and you make an informed opinion

@ Tim We are not all luddites. Investing in technology is valid and necessary. Are you handwriting your comments and sending them by carrier pigeon to thejournal’s offices? I think you’re a bit too eager to fall for controversy bait. “Government updates computers” is not cause for rioting.

“They should be tracked in case they’re not being used or abused, and removed from those who don’t operate them properly or use them as a toy.”

And who is going to do that? I haven’t seen one good argument yet as to why they cant use their own. That way they can use them as toys all they like!

A minister still requires paper and ink to respond to letters they receive. Not everyone uses email.

Giving extra perks to ministers (e.g. Apps for free) is a big mistake. They will cost the taxpayer 500 Euro each, you will pay the bill at the end of the day. Instead, they should have simply abolished expensive printers and replaced them with cheaper inkjet only printers. In this case, the ink cartridges could be refilled making it significantly cheaper.

I guarantee not one of them are using a Kodak printer :-) Costs less than half the industry standard to run

As for the rest of the OP’s arguments… they all have smart phones that can do exactly the same thing as a tablet can. Free sat-nav, email, diary… all there on the phones that they already have.

As for low cost options… since when have you know anyone in our government to concern themselves with anything like that?!

Rob – Do us a favour. Look at the broadcast of the Oireachtas some day and just look at the amount of paper that TD’s have when they are sitting in the Dáil debating a topic. The probably have a copy of the Bill being debated, copies of research about the bill, copies of press reports etc. Its a significant amount of paper that can now instead be put on a tablet where they will have easy access to.

Given that the cost of the tablet will probably be written off over 5 years (which is the accounting standard for IT equipment) are you seriously suggesting that their wouldn’t be savings on €500 in that time period.

And what is wrong with their laptops? They can do exactly the same thing on them, they probably weigh less than all the paper and have higher performance & functionality than tablets