Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS been urged to move its email to an externally hosted Gmail-type system, in a move which it’s claimed could save €10million over five years.
Senator Catherine Noone said if Ireland wanted to become a world leader in cloud computing, politicians should show the way by using cloud-based solutions for Oireachtas and council email services.
The savings would come in decreased overheads and increased flexibility, she said.
I really think we need to fully embrace the idea that we want to become a global leader in cloud computing. The best way to lead is to lead by example; why not begin hosting Government applications, such as email for the Oireachtas and Councils, in the cloud?
She suggested that a company like Google could be contracted to provide Gmail-type systems for the Government. A number of businesses and universities, including Trinity College Dublin, already use the Gmail platform.
“Google have done this for Governments before,” Senator Noone said. “Denmark has converted to cloud computing and saved 70 per cent from its Government IT budget in doing so. Why not us?”
She added that a partnership with Google would be a “win-win” situation.
Google Ireland declined to comment when contacted by TheJournal.ie.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
no shit sherlock! lets move into the 90′s, hopefully by 2030 they will form a commitee to look at the 2012 technology
Seeing as though their heads are in the clouds anyway, it wouldn’t be too much of a leap.
Carteck Great point. Well said
No doubt the civil service unions will want compensation for a change in system, cause the poor sods wll all have to be retrained to use such a complicated email system!!!!
You can be sure of it. Unions have our public services wrecked. Institutionalising practices where more money is expected for nonsense changes.
What about data protection? As I understand it as a US company anything on a Google owned machine (even if located here) may be seized by the US authorities.
Massive efficiencies could be achieved simply by merging the IT departments and infrastructures of all public bodies. In one sense that’s what the Gmail idea achieves but without having to ask “permission” from the unions.
Maybe they could set up a secure cloud for the Irish government and just work with google on the practicalities of creating and operating it?
I wouldn’t be too happy with the US (or any other country for that matter) having jurisdiction to seize our governments internal communications either..
It is supposed to be secure already, security breaches are usually caused by users having weak passwords. The migration path to google apps would be a nightmare for that amount of users, and google are not renound for engaging with their customers. Microsoft 365 (their main cloud competitor) may be a better solution for them if they are using exchange already.
You would request that it was hosted within an Irish or EU data center. Simples
While I agree with the Seantor, I don’t think it is necessary to outsource to a third party to see the benefits of cloud computing. The Irish public service is large enough to maintain it’s own data centers.
We don’t have to hand over our data to a US company to save money. There are open source cloud platforms out there. If we are to prove ourselves cloud savy than we should utilize and extend these.
it may be large enough but is it competent enough to do so ?
certainly some of their previous endeavors have been less than impressive, PRARS, evoting, disconnected systems that cannot exchange data between department (justice and social welfare for example).
the idea of a single IT infrastructure (public or private cloud based) for all elements of state (government, councils, state bodies) etc has considerable merit but also would face considerable opposition from vested interests
Great idea but I don’t see it happening. By time they set up a review group, publish a report, Gmail will be replaced a newer better technology, whatever that might be (begin project plan).
on a side note. I’m sure UCC have adopted the student web-mail into Gmail. It used to hosted by UCC when I was there and you’d access it on-line with Squirrel Mail, but the sister checked hers in my house yesterday and it was Gmail…
Why would we need a review group?Just switch straight over!
Do you really expect them to change from using pigeon carriers
Aye, I always thought that their expense accounts should just be publicly available Google docs.
There
Absolutely not. We cannot let the government anywhere near a new IT project. Remember PPARS, Dublin transport ticketing, current data access scandals, e-voteing etc etc. We simply cannot afford another one.
Not to mention motortax.ie or Revenue Online Service… oh wait!
It is the project management that is wrong, not the idea.
Exactly……….not to mention implementation.
A couple of points here. Politicians now appear to have gotten carried away with themselves over the cloud. The cloud isn’t always the answer particular where data protection, security and freedom of information are considerations, never mind the loss of shared calenders, GAL’s and the functionality that exchange like systems bring.Open Source software isn’t always a way of saving money either, there are many costs associated with setting up and maintaining a managed, functional open source desktop environment. Some have already said this but the answers to long term cost cutting and long term assistance of IT projects towards increased efficiencies and service to the public is a mix of shared IT services via quasi private cloud or otherwise, open source software where appropriate and far better project management, from start to finish.
I’d also like to see where this politician pulled this figure of ten million from and whether it takes into account the fees involved in moving mail and licensing with Google. I suspect it is an attempt to get in the news which has succeeded.
Great idea but does cloud computing work when it’s raining?
They should be using open source software as much as possible, and running some form of linux on government PC’s instead of paying licence fees for Microsoft products.
I think they should investigate the possibility of cloud and gmail. In order to do this they would need a team of TD’s and probably John O’Donoghue to travel by government jet with their wives and all expenses paid while staying in a 7 star hotel in the cloud before returning to deal with more urgent matters at home. In other words a great time to be had by all with no change needed to the current system. it’s worth the risk sending them as they may never return.
Yeah sure, then when uncle sam want’s to know anything about where we stand, he just pulls it up offa google. Words ‘national security’ ring a bell?
More nice thinking from our politicians.
Ever hear the word ‘security’? Hosting government sensitive email in the cloud should never happen. No encryption, nothing – our national secrets on servers in California! Methinks not!
When it comes to IT and the publiuc sector this is only the tip of a great big iceberg. I’m not sure on the security aspect of this partiucular proposal given the Gmail account is accessible from anywhere in the world and is easier to compromise if the users didn’t have secure passwords.
By running their own systems on their own networks at least this is not possible.
If they save 10 million in 5 years, does this mean at the moment they are paying 2 million a year for the email system they have already? That means at 1000 users it cost 1 person €2000 a year. They should defiantly move either way, I’ve setup up a few Schools using the integrated system and all teachers find it faultless
That would really help the democratic system – give Google full access to all government data.
As I generally like, use and admire Google, the idea of moving government email to them (or any other cloud providers) is extremely risky. While I agree with technical side of such move and cost efficiency, there are way too many unanswered privacy and ownership issues that come with those services and it’s the biggest trade off. Far too big for an institution like government in my opinion. Government should rather seek way of consolidating their IT services and migrating into own more cost effective private clouds, maybe still more expensive than all the way Google way, but at least they won’t be selling their independency to the masters of searching, shaping and analyzing the information data.
There have been a number of trials within LGOV for cloud computing already…
the issue wasn’t so much the email side (that went fine for 90% of the users – it didn’t work so well for people with huge mailboxes), but the document side
whilst google docs (and it’s competitors) try to claim compatibility to office – and they are getting better – the basic day to day functionality simply isn’t there yet..
then there is the issue of where the data is located and who would have access to it…
Great idea, and we could have the emails on google search too!
is cloud a byword for outsourcing?
Check out the UK Government Cloud Store just launched http://www.govstore.net/
Developed in just four weeks! It’s a pix n mix cloud store for services from both large multinational and small to medium businesses – A great solution. Our Government could take some inspiration from this…
have your say