Retour

Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Transform Gov - the digital government podcast

Plongez dans la liste complète des épisodes de Transform Gov - the digital government podcast. Chaque épisode est catalogué accompagné de descriptions détaillées, ce qui facilite la recherche et l'exploration de sujets spécifiques. Suivez tous les épisodes de votre podcast préféré et ne manquez aucun contenu pertinent.

Rows per page:

1–50 of 85

TitreDateDurée
The £1 billion decision that became a £10 billion problem17 Sep 202600:31:27

Ireland has committed €275 billion to infrastructure by 2035. Globally, 9 out of 10 major projects fail to deliver on plan, scope, or budget. What goes wrong, and can Ireland beat the odds using AI, digitisation and know-how?


In Part 1 of this special two-part podcast series, host Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Stephen Bradley, lead author of Accenture's research into Ireland's infrastructure delivery challenges, and João Silva, Accenture’s managing director of capital projects.


What you can take from this episode:


🔹 How do you map your project's interfaces: A UK rail electrification project's cost grew tenfold after a value-engineering decision wasn't properly assessed against its knock-on effects — a decision that should have taken a day instead played out over a decade.

🔹 How to face the skills gap honestly: Delivering Ireland's National Development Plan at current productivity would need roughly 100,000 additional construction practitioners — equivalent to two years of all net migration into the country.

🔹 Why you need to rethink procurement before you launch: Moving from a "passive buyer" to an "engaged system orchestrator" means defining your data standards before contractors are appointed, not after.

🔹 How to watch for over-engineering: It often reflects genuine caution around safety on novel assets — understanding why it happens is the first step to managing it.

🔹 Why you should communicate progress early and often: Projects that published clear timelines and used digital twins to show the public visible progress built trust that made delivery easier, not harder.


Part 2 goes deeper on exactly how AI and digital tools can change infrastructure delivery in practice.


🎧 Transform Gov is part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards, brought to you in partnership with Accenture.


📅 The Ireland eGovernment Awards and Leadership Summit take place 24 September at O'Reilly Hall, UCD. Find out more at digitalgovawards.com


#TransformGov #Infrastructure #PublicSector #AI #DigitalTransformation

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What Irish Rail's overruns can teach every public sector project team02 Sep 202600:42:27

Could Irish Rail have saved the State €16.5 million, and got a working traffic management system, if its project had been managed differently?


Today, guest James Louttit — Founder and Lead Trainer at Impactful Project Management — argues that successful projects come down to some surprisingly simple disciplines: focus on value, prioritise needs, make risk visible, force governance to make decisions, and adapt rather than blindly following a plan-for-plans-sake.


So, could applying those principles earlier have changed the outcome at Irish Rail?


That’s one of the questions we’re asking today on Transform Gov.


James takes us inside:

🔹How to get a project funded: focus on how many citizens benefit, how much time is saved, and how much risk is taken out

🔹Why MoSCoW can collapse into chaos: when everything becomes a “must”, nothing is really prioritised, and force-ranking is a better way to make hard choices

🔹Stopping project risk becoming tomorrow’s headline: The risk-specific contingency method for putting a real cost on what could go wrong before it happens

🔹Pawpaws versus prickly pears: a brilliantly simple way to spot the work that delivers big value for little effort, and the work that eats time, money and energy for very little return

🔹When an AI sceptic changed his mind: how a civil servant, given a real task and Microsoft Copilot, turned resistance into enthusiasm in a matter of minutes


🎧 Transform Gov is part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards, brought to you in partnership with Accenture.


📅 The Ireland eGovernment Awards and Leadership Summit take place 24 September at O'Reilly Hall, UCD. Find out more at digitalgovawards.com


#TransformGov #ProjectManagement #PublicSector #Leadership #AI



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can AI help the public sector do more with less — and can we reskill fast enough?25 Aug 202600:30:47

Public services need to deliver more, for a growing and increasingly complex population, but the people and technology resources available to do it are finite.


Could AI change that?


In Part 2 of her conversation with Transform Gov, Audrey O'Mahony of Accenture gets practical about where AI could have its biggest impact and how we reskill to meet the challenge.


She explains how public-sector CIOs are already looking at AI to compress transformation timelines, increase the capacity of technology teams and rethink software delivery, coding, data migration and testing.


We also hear how AI can change citizen services themselves — including a striking example where technology helped identify vulnerable people hidden within a huge backlog of correspondence, allowing public servants to prioritise those who needed help most.


Where to start: Audrey brings us through the five imperatives for moving from isolated AI tools to genuine end-to-end transformation.



This isn't AI as another productivity tool. It's a conversation about whether AI can give government something it badly needs: more capacity to transform and more capacity to serve.


Missed Part 1? Catch Audrey's earlier conversation on agentic AI, data foundations, and the mindset shift from cost-cutting to capacity.


🎧 Transform Gov is part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards, brought to you in partnership with Accenture.


📅 The Ireland eGovernment Awards and Leadership Summit take place 24 September at O'Reilly Hall, UCD. Find out more at digitalgovawards.com


#TransformGov #AI #PublicSector #FutureOfWork #Accenture


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What would you do with 10,000 extra public servants?12 Aug 202600:25:58

For decades, Ireland has built its economic identity on being a knowledge economy: highly skilled, highly educated, and a magnet for global investment. Agentic AI is about to test whether that advantage still holds.


Most conversations about AI start with cost – how do we do more with less? Audrey O'Mahony, Accenture's Head of Talent Reinvention for UKIA, argues that's the wrong starting point entirely. Her question instead: what would you do with 10,000 extra employees? Thinking capacity instead of cost-cutting changes what preparing for AI actually looks like.


In Part 1 of this conversation, Audrey talks about what's at stake for Ireland if that knowledge-economy advantage slips, and why government and the public sector have a uniquely important role to play. As adopters of AI, but also as enablers of it across the wider economy.


🔹 The risk to Ireland's knowledge-economy advantage if AI readiness doesn't keep pace

🔹 The mindset shift — why "what would you do with 10,000 extra employees?" is a better question than "how do we cut costs?"

🔹 The public sector's dual role — adopting AI in its own services, and enabling AI readiness across the wider economy

🔹 The foundation — why agentic AI is only as good as the data sitting underneath it

🔹 The real driver of adoption — trust, not training modules


Part 2 coming soon.


🎧 Transform Gov is part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards, brought to you in partnership with Accenture.


📅 The Ireland eGovernment Awards and Leadership Summit take place 24 September at O'Reilly Hall, UCD. Find out more at digitalgovawards.com


#TransformGov #AI #FutureOfWork #Accenture #PublicSector




Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ireland’s new government CIO wants to end the form-filling groundhog day's05 Aug 202600:20:39

Ireland's Government CIO Louise McKeever returns for part 2 to talk about what it actually takes to join up government services around citizens.

Louise takes us inside:


🔹 Digital building blocks — the reusable infrastructure (gov.ie, e-forms, payments, messaging, a digital wallet) that means departments don't have to rebuild the same systems

🔹 Leading without authority — how you coordinate a whole government's worth of independently governed departmental CIOs toward one shared goal

🔹 Data as a national asset — and why citizen trust has to come before the benefits

🔹 Digital sovereignty — what "resilience and control" really means for Ireland during its EU presidency

🔹 Life events — how registering a birth, a bereavement, further education and social housing are being redesigned as one simple experience, hiding the departmental complexity behind them


Missed Part 1? Catch Louise's earlier conversation on delivering Intreo and Agile at Scale in Irish government.


🎧 Transform Gov is part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards, brought to you in partnership with Accenture.


📅 The Ireland eGovernment Awards and Leadership Summit take place 24 September at O'Reilly Hall, UCD. Find out more at digitalgovawards.com


#TransformGov #DigitalGovernment #PublicSector #GovTech #DigitalSovereignty



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three employment services became one. What happened next helped change Ireland’s Live Register from 17% to 10%.29 Jul 202600:36:19

Louise McKeever started her civil service career as a clerical assistant in 1995. Today, she is the first woman to serve as Ireland’s Government CIO.


In Part 1 of this conversation with TransformGov host Maeve Kneafsey, Louise takes us inside:

🔹 Intreo — how Community Welfare Services, Activation Services and Local Office operations were merged into a single case management model, integrating two commercial providers for the first time, in what may have been the first large-scale Agile programme in Irish government

🔹 Change management under pressure — bringing established specialists onto a new system by treating resistance as a concern for business continuity, not stubbornness

🔹 AI in government, before it was called that — using robotic process automation to clear COVID-era claims backlogs

🔹 AI with humans in control — an NLP tool flagging GDPR anomalies in farm applications, and a satellite-imagery compliance system for Common Agricultural Policy payments, with every payment-affecting decision made by a human officer

🔹 Her own path — from clerical assistant to first female CIO at the Department of Agriculture, to Ireland's first female Government CIO


Part 2 coming soon.


🎧 TransformGov is part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards, brought to you in partnership with Accenture.


📅 The Ireland eGovernment Awards and Leadership Summit take place 24 September at O'Reilly Hall, UCD. Find out more at digitalgovawards.com


#TransformGov #DigitalGovernment #AI #PublicSector #GovTech #WomenInTech



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From CDs and Paper Files to AI and Drones: Inside An Garda Síochána’s Digital Transformation22 Jul 202600:33:44

An Garda Síochána is replacing paper files, ageing technology and fragmented information with mobile devices, body-worn cameras, drones and carefully governed AI.


But transforming one of Ireland’s largest and most complex public services is not simply a technology project. It means changing how thousands of Gardaí work — while protecting public trust, individual rights and the judgement of the officer on the ground.


In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey goes straight to the source: Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis, strategic lead for organised and serious crime at An Garda Síochána and a Garda officer with more than 30 years’ frontline experience.


Angela explains:

  • How information-led policing gives Gardaí vital context — including previous incidents, firearms risks and court orders — before they arrive at a call
  • What happened at Dublin protests when body-worn cameras were introduced, and why behaviour appeared to change almost overnight
  • Why An Garda Síochána is replacing an interview-recording system that rely on CDs that are no longer being manufactured
  • How frontline feedback forced the team to rethink and improve a major national investigation system during its rollout
  • Where drones and AI could help Gardaí work faster and more safely — and where human judgement must remain firmly in control
  • Why the hardest part of digital transformation is rarely the technology; it is earning the confidence of the people expected to use it

This is a candid and highly practical conversation about modernising a high-stakes public service without losing sight of the Gardaí doing the work — or the people they serve.


🎧Transform Gov is part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards and is brought to you in partnership with Accenture.

📅The Ireland eGovernment Awards and Leadership Summit take place on 24 September 2026 at O’Reilly Hall, UCD. Find out more at digitalgovawards.com.

#TransformGov #DigitalGovernment #AnGardaSiochana #PublicSectorTransformation #GovTech



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why AI relies on human drivers14 Jul 202600:28:12

Episode Highlights:

  • Crisis Management: Maria's resilience was tested through the COVID crisis and the Ukrainian refugee crisis, where she played a pivotal role in managing the response efforts. Tune in to hear how she used "energy buckets" to build team resilience.
  • Data Security Challenges: Discussing the ongoing data security issues faced by the HSE, Maria underscores the inevitability of cyber threats and the critical role of the CISO.
  • Cross-Departmental Collaboration: The Ukrainian refugee crisis required seamless collaboration across multiple departments and organisations, including EY and Microsoft. Discover the complexities of aligning diverse teams to support refugees, such as ensuring access to cancer treatment centres.
  • Managing Expectations: With a large stakeholder group, prioritising needs and managing expectations were crucial. Maria highlights the importance of plain English communication and open conversations to align everyone's efforts.
  • AI in Healthcare: Maria emphasises that AI must be driven by clinicians to support healthcare effectively. She shares her involvement with Spunout, a charity using AI to support young people's mental health. She also tell us about the innovative Fastrack to IT apprenticeship program.


💡 Key Takeaways:

  • The human element is the hardest and most important part of major projects, requiring honest communication and alignment.
  • Data quality and governance are foundational for successful AI initiatives.
  • The importance of practical education pathways, like tech apprenticeships, to bridge skills gaps and support lifelong learning.


Join us as Maria McCann shares her invaluable experiences and insights into the world of digital transformation in government


Find out more www.digitalgovawards.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can AI help immigration services without making decisions?06 Jul 202600:35:40

How do you redesign a public service used by people from almost every country in the world?


In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Paul Rooney and Roshan Wijesinghe from the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration about the Department’s digital contact centre for immigration services.


This is a story about far more than technology.


The Department was dealing with high volumes of applications, fragmented helpdesks, repeated queries, multiple languages, anxious users and staff under pressure. The response was not simply to “build a portal”. It was to redesign the service around users, staff, language, culture, trust and delivery.


The conversation explores:

  • Why the project was service-design-led, not technology-led
  • How the Department moved towards a more joined-up applicant view
  • Why translation is not the same as localisation
  • How plain English, tone of voice and visuals helped make the service easier to use
  • How personas helped the team understand both immigration applicants and internal staff
  • How Microsoft Dynamics, automation and AI-supported tools are helping staff manage information and queries
  • Why AI is not being used to make immigration decisions
  • How identity verification helped tackle appointment-booking abuse
  • Why business-led change management was critical
  • What other public sector teams can learn from the project


For CIOs, digital leaders, service designers, customer service teams and anyone working on AI or transformation in the public sector, this is a practical look at what digital government really requires: clear purpose, better data, better communication, staff involvement and strong safeguards.


Transform Gov is part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards and is brought to you in partnership with Accenture.


Find out more at www.digitalgovawards.com


Digital government, public sector transformation, Department of Justice, immigration services, AI in government, public sector AI, Microsoft Dynamics, digital contact centre, service design, multilingual services, digital identity, change management, GovTech, Ireland eGovernment Awards, Transform Gov, customer service, public service reform

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could virtual hospitals replace hospital visits? 22 Jun 202600:29:41

What if your next hospital appointment happened from your kitchen table?


In Part 2 of Transform Gov, Professor Derek O'Keeffe explains how Ireland is using digital technology to rethink healthcare delivery — from remote islands to nursing homes, prisons and beyond.


You'll hear how:


*Patients can be monitored safely at home.

*Chronic diseases can be managed before emergencies happen.

*Virtual hospitals are reducing unnecessary admissions.

*AI and robotics could become everyday healthcare tools.


This isn't science fiction.


It's already happening.


Transform Gov is part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards and is brought to you in partnership with Accenture.


Find out more about the Ireland eGovernment Leadership Summit and Awards at:

www.digitalgovawards.com


If you enjoy the episode, please like, subscribe and share.


Chapters


00:00 Introduction

01:33 Why chronic disease is changing healthcare

04:49 Why hospitals aren't designed for chronic illness

07:24 The idea behind the virtual hospital

09:44 Monitoring patients at home

10:58 Virtual wards explained

15:20 The island healthcare project

17:06 Why islands became the perfect test bed

18:37 A patient, a ferry and lambing season

20:06 Scaling the project across Ireland

21:41 Nursing homes, prisons and remote care

24:23 International interest from Australia

25:21 AI, robotics and the future of healthcare

27:48 Why innovation requires resilience

29:02 Final thoughts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could drones deliver your medicine? 16 Jun 202600:28:16

What if the biggest challenge in healthcare wasn't medicine...


...but getting the right people to work together?


In Part 1 of this fascinating conversation, Professor Derek O'Keeffe — consultant endocrinologist, engineer and founder of the Hive Lab at the University of Galway — explains why solving healthcare problems often starts outside the hospital.


From delivering medicines by drone after Storm Ophelia, to creating smart connected medical devices and bringing engineers and clinicians together, this is a story about practical innovation that is already changing lives.


In this episode:

• Why Derek calls himself a "physicianeer"

• Why healthcare is full of engineering problems

• The remarkable drone medicine delivery project

• Why regulation is often a bigger challenge than technology

• The story behind the "digital stent"

• Why the best innovations start with a real human problem


This isn't a conversation about gadgets.


It's about using technology to make public services work better.


Transform Gov is part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards and is brought to you in partnership with Accenture.


Find out more about this year's Leadership Summit and Awards at:

www.digitalgovawards.com


If you enjoy the episode, please like, subscribe and share.


Chapters


00:00 Introduction

01:35 What is a "physicianeer"?

03:20 From engineering to medicine

05:12 Why healthcare is full of problems to solve

08:15 Why technology isn't the difficult part

10:48 "The technology is easy. The people are hard."

11:24 The idea that led to medicine delivery by drone

13:18 Aviation, pharmacy and regulation

16:05 Building the Hive Lab

18:42 Collaboration between engineers and clinicians

21:15 The digital stent project

24:10 The garden hose moment

26:40 Why innovation often stays in the drawer

28:50 Making technology work for people

31:00 Final thoughts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first COVID dashboard didn't exist... until Ireland had about two weeks to build it.09 Jun 202600:35:26

Justin Gleeson explains how a small team from government, Maynooth University and Ordnance Survey Ireland came together in March 2020 to create the platform that millions of us watched every evening behind Tony Holohan.

A fascinating story about what can happen when technology, data and public service all pull in the same direction.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Galway digitised 1,000 townlands — and put local heritage on the world map02 Jun 202600:34:16

What happens when local heritage meets digital innovation?


In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Marie Mannion, Heritage Officer, and Brídín Feeney from the GIS team at Galway County Council.


Winners of the 2025 Ireland eGovernment Open Data Award, their StoryMaps project is transforming how communities discover, preserve and share local heritage.


From digitising more than 1,000 townlands to helping local communities tell their own stories, this project demonstrates how open data, GIS technology and community engagement can deliver real public value.


The conversation explores:

• Why traditional booklets were no longer enough

• Using GIS and StoryMaps technology to connect people with place

• Building digital skills within communities

• The role of open data in preserving heritage

• Creating pride of place through technology

• How a local project attracted international interest


Transform Gov is brought to you in partnership with Accenture.


Find out more about the Ireland eGovernment Awards:

www.digitalgovawards.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the biggest barrier to suicide prevention is fear?21 May 202600:27:12
  • Fear of saying the wrong thing.
  • Fear of making things worse.
  • Fear of even starting the conversation.


In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Ailish O’Neill from the HSE’s National Suicide Prevention Office about “Let’s Talk About Suicide” — the winner of the 2025 Ireland eGovernment Education Award.


This is a digital learning programme designed to help ordinary people recognise signs of suicidal distress and feel confident enough to step in and help.

But this conversation goes far beyond technology.


It explores:

• Why lived experience completely changed the design of the programme

• How language and tone can determine whether people engage or switch off

• Why online learning was the right solution for a deeply sensitive subject

• How digital tools can build confidence — not just awareness

• What public sector teams can learn about communication, trust, and behaviour change


One insight stands out:

Many people taking the training were already worried about someone in their lives.

That changes everything.

Transform Gov is part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards and is brought to you in partnership with Accenture.


  • To read more about free, accessible suicide prevention training from the HSE, or to enrol in Let’s Talk About Suicide, visit www.nosp.ie/training.

 

  • This episode includes discussion about suicide and self-harm, which some listeners might find challenging or upsetting. If you, or someone you know needs support, visit the HSE website www.yourmentalhealth.ie for information on mental health, minding yourself and others, and to find services or supports. 
  • Samaritans are also available anytime day or night for support, on freephone 116 123.


Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:30 Why the programme was created during COVID

04:10 Why suicide prevention training is different

07:20 Designing learning that builds confidence

10:15 The power of lived experience

15:05 “We get it now” — the turning point for developers

18:40 Fear of saying the wrong thing

22:10 Real-world stories and impact

25:00 What other public sector teams can learn

28:00 What happens next

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From paper forms to AI: 23 years that completely rewired Ireland's Public Services15 May 202600:34:19

What actually happens when a country decides to digitise itself?


Not the theory. Not the strategy decks. The real story.


Over 23 years, Ireland’s public sector has gone from:

• Paper forms, post and phone calls

• To online transactions people trust

• To fully integrated, citizen-first services

• And now… cautiously stepping into AI


This episode is a rare step back — a straight, honest look at what changed, what worked, and what didn’t.


You’ll hear:

• Why early “digital” projects were little more than brochure websites

• The moment citizens finally trusted online government services

• The internal battles — fiefdoms, silos and systems that wouldn’t talk to each other

• How collaboration became the biggest shift of all

• Why “citizen-first” wasn’t always the mindset — and how that changed

• The truth about AI in government — less hype, more caution


And crucially — what all of that means for what comes next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From 3,000 to 18,000 applications — how the State rebuilt a system under pressure 08 May 202600:40:41

Two years and nine months.


That’s how long people were waiting in the system — until everything had to change.


What happens when a public service built for 3,000 applications a year suddenly faces over 18,000?


That was the reality facing Ireland’s International Protection Office — a system under intense pressure, with growing backlogs, long delays, and real human consequences.


In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks to Emer Mullins and Daniel Drennan, the team behind a transformation programme that didn’t just improve a service — it fundamentally redesigned it.


From paper files that could stretch the length of a room…to fully digital workflows, online interviews, and real-time data dashboards…

this is a story of what it actually takes to deliver change inside the public service — at scale, under pressure, and in real time.


You’ll hear:

  • What the system looked like before — and why it wasn’t sustainable
  • How they rebuilt processes before introducing technology
  • What changed for staff — and for applicants
  • How decisions increased dramatically without simply adding more people
  • What other public sector teams can learn from this

This is not theory.

This is real delivery.


🎧 Listen now — and if it resonates, share it with someone working on transformation.


Chapters

00:00 — Welcome to Transform Gov

01:20 — What the International Protection Office actually does

02:30 — The surge: from 3,000 to 18,000 applications

04:44 — The “before”: paper, delays and pressure

06:44 — Waiting times: up to 2 years and 9 months

08:21 — The complexity: multiple agencies involved

10:07 — The tipping point — why change was unavoidable

11:25 — Where the transformation started

13:45 — Scaling up: staff, infrastructure and process

15:27 — From paper to digital — the reality on the ground

20:40 — Digitising 35,000+ case files

22:20 — Online interviews — what changed

25:49 — Time saved, faster decisions, real outcomes

27:30 — Preparing for new EU migration rules

29:39 — A fully digital applicant journey

32:38 — Data, dashboards and decision-making

34:59 — Lessons for other public sector teams

39:21 — What comes next

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What judges actually look for — straight from the head judge29 Apr 202600:21:31

An insider's guide to a brilliant entry for the Ireland eGovernment Awards


Most teams think awards are about technology, scale, or budget.



They’re not.


On this episode of Transform Gov, we sit down with Declan Tuite, Head Judge of the Ireland eGovernment Awards, and Maeve Kneafsey, to break down what really separates winning entries from the rest.


Why strong projects fall short.

What judges are actually looking for.

And how to turn your work into a clear, compelling entry.


Because here’s the truth:


The difference between winning and losing is often not the project —

it’s how it’s explained.


If you’re planning to enter the Ireland eGovernment Awards 2026, start here.

Ready to enter? You can find step-by-step guides to entry on our website https://digitalgovawards.com/enter/resources/


Chapters

00:00 – Why this episode matters: helping you win

00:30 – Entries now open: key dates and deadlines

01:10 – Meet the head judge: Declan Tuite

02:00 – The #1 mistake applicants make

02:40 – It’s not the tech — it’s the story

03:20 – What judges actually look for

04:00 – Before and after: showing real impact

04:40 – Proof, not promises: using stats and evidence

05:30 – Who is the user? Why it matters

06:10 – Avoid this: jargon and over-explaining

06:50 – Innovation vs real-world results

07:30 – Picking the right category (and why it matters)

08:20 – Start early: why timing improves your entry

09:00 – Using supporting documents and visuals

09:40 – Writing clearly: answering the actual questions

10:20 – What makes an entry stand out

11:10 – Small projects can win (and do)

12:00 – Step-by-step: how to enter online

13:10 – Register, save, refine: how the system works

14:00 – Entering multiple categories

14:50 – What happens after you submit

16:00 – Final advice from the head judge

17:00 – Deadline reminder and key dates

18:00 – Why you should enter (even if unsure)



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ireland is leaving €8 billion on the table — and this is why24 Apr 202600:25:37

In Part 2 of this Transform Gov conversation, Marie Wallace (Accenture) moves beyond the concept of digital identity — and explains what it actually means in practice for service delivery, cost, and efficiency.


The headline figure? Up to €8 billion in economic impact for Ireland.


But the real story is where that value comes from:

  • removing manual verification from services
  • eliminating repeated onboarding across organisations
  • reducing friction across life events
  • and integrating identity directly into business processes


From passports to healthcare to supply chains, this is a look at how identity sits at the centre of service transformation.


And why fixing it could change everything.


Get the full report The Identity Economy https://forms.office.com/r/fqCBsvQRv3


Chapters

00:00 Bringing digital identity into real-world impact

01:18 €8bn — where the number comes from

01:56 Manual verification — the hidden problem

02:46 Repeating data across services

03:06 Life events — why services don’t connect

04:53 Personalised services explained

05:47 Data control and AI at the edge

08:46 Fraud, deepfakes and verification

12:01 Where the biggest gains are (health, pensions, services)

13:38 Ireland’s opportunity and readiness

15:48 What governments must do next

18:04 What could derail progress

21:28 What changes over the next 3–5 years

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why you keep filling out the same forms — and why it’s about to end16 Apr 202600:21:40

Digital identity is often talked about — but rarely understood in practical terms.


In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Marie Wallace, Managing Director and Global Lead for Digital Identities at Accenture, about what is broken in how we prove who we are today — and what is changing.


From repeatedly filling out forms to sharing far more personal data than necessary, Marie explains why current identity systems are no longer fit for purpose — and how digital wallets and selective data sharing could transform how citizens access services.


This conversation focuses on:

  • Why identity systems are fragmented and inefficient
  • How digital wallets give citizens more control over their data
  • What “selective sharing” actually looks like in practice
  • How trust is changing in a digital world
  • The risks if identity systems are implemented badly


In Part 2 we explore the economic impact and what this means for Ireland.


Chapters

00:00 Introduction to digital identity and control of data

01:12 What digital identity actually means (and why it’s broken)

02:14 Why sharing too much data is a problem

03:02 Marie’s background in AI and data privacy

04:07 Why centralised data creates risk

06:18 AI, deepfakes and the growing identity challenge

07:50 Designing better identity into public services

09:11 Why identity isn’t reusable today

10:02 Public concern around biometrics and data

11:09 Breaking down silos between public and private services

12:27 The real problem: forms, friction and delays

13:26 What governments need to build (trust + wallets)

14:57 Trust frameworks and verification explained

16:27 EU regulation and what happens next

17:47 Who owns identity in this model

19:13 Efficiency and cost impact (part 2)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the biggest risk facing the public service right now… is not using AI at all?09 Apr 202600:32:11

In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey sits down with Malcolm Byrne TD, Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence, to unpack what has actually changed — and why the pace of change is now the real issue.


From courts using AI for real-time translation… to Revenue analysing thousands of tax codes… to the uncomfortable truth that other countries are already moving faster — this is not a future conversation. It’s happening now.


And the question is simple: are we ready? 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How smart public services are winning back users — with one simple design shift01 Apr 202600:36:36

COVID changed how people engage with online services — permanently.


The organisations that adapted are now seeing better engagement, better access, better outcomes.


The rest are still catching up.


In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Aoife Prendergast of Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), whose team won the Universal Design category at the Ireland eGovernment Awards 2025.


What they discovered is something every CIO, digital leader, and public service provider needs to hear:


People have changed.


Since COVID, expectations have shifted:

  • always-on
  • bite-sized
  • easy to use


Most services haven’t caught up.


Aoife’s team did.


They spotted the gap, redesigned using Universal Design, boosted engagement — and unlocked new funding and global collaboration.


This isn’t compliance.


It’s whether your service gets used at all.


Key Topics
  • Universal Design in public services
  • Digital transformation in higher education
  • Public sector accessibility strategy
  • Citizen engagement post-COVID
  • Service design and UX in government
  • Inclusive digital services Ireland
  • eGovernment Awards Ireland
  • TUS (Technological University of the Shannon)
  • Accessibility vs usability



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The system that was failing vulnerable children — and the fix that changed everything24 Mar 202600:34:46

This is not a tech story.

This is a human story.


Before this system existed, vulnerable children could wait weeks for access to childcare — stuck in a maze of emails, forms, and approvals.

Now? Minutes.


On this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Ruth Shortall (POBAL) and Ciarán Madden (Department of Children) about the system that:

  • Cut waiting times from 3 weeks to minutes
  • Connected multiple agencies into one seamless flow
  • Removed friction for frontline workers under pressure
  • And quietly transformed outcomes for families at critical moments


This is what real digital transformation looks like.

Not flashy.

Not theoretical.

But life-changing.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What smart cities know about you before you do | Alice Charles | Transform Gov13 Mar 202600:34:37

What if a city already knew your child was starting school — and simply sent you a text asking if you agreed with the proposed school?

That already happens in Helsinki.


In this episode of Transform Gov, infrastructure expert Alice Charles from Arup explains how some cities are using data, digital twins and AI to plan transport, housing and infrastructure far more intelligently.


You will hear:

  • How Helsinki predicts school demand using data
  • Why digital twins allow cities to test developments instantly
  • Why surveys often get transport data wrong
  • How Copenhagen paid for its metro by building housing around stations
  • Why Dublin sometimes loses international meetings to cities with better transport
  • How electricity data can reveal vacant homes


This conversation shows how data is quietly changing how cities function.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:05 Helsinki’s predictive public services

04:00 Digital twins explained

05:30 Why visual planning wins public support

06:30 AI and planning systems

08:40 Human intelligence vs AI

11:10 Why surveys fail

12:10 Copenhagen’s real cycling data

15:30 MetroLink and global infrastructure firms

17:30 Metro funding through housing

20:40 Why Dublin loses business to Amsterdam

23:30 All-island infrastructure planning

26:00 Finding vacant homes using electricity data


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The AI race is really an energy and water race06 Mar 202600:31:00

AI may dominate the headlines — but the real race is happening somewhere else.


Energy. Water. Data infrastructure.


On this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Alice Charles, Director at Arup and former World Economic Forum infrastructure lead, about the global competition shaping the future of cities, economies and governments.


Alice explains why the AI boom is triggering what some leaders are calling the largest infrastructure build-out in history.


And why the foundations of AI are not software — but power grids, water systems and data centres.


In this conversation:

• Why the AI race between the US and China is really about infrastructure

• Why AI requires massive increases in energy and water

• Why Ireland’s climate gives it an unexpected advantage for data centres

• Why smart city projects failed when they focused on technology instead of citizens

• Why governments must move from planning to delivery


Alice also reflects on lessons from the World Economic Forum, global infrastructure investment, and the strategic decisions countries must make to compete in a rapidly changing technological landscape.


If AI is the future — the question is simple:


Do we have the infrastructure to support it?

Digital Government Infrastructure, AI infrastructure, Data centres, Energy transition, Urban development, Smart cities, Public sector innovation

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inside Dublin City Council’s AI Lab20 Feb 202600:34:30

What does AI actually look like inside a local authority?


In this episode of Transform Gov, Dublin City Council’s AI Lab team — Khizer Ahmed Biyabani and Richie Shakespeare — explain how they are moving beyond AI hype to deliver practical tools that improve consistency, save time and build trust.


From preventing contradictory council answers to searching decades of records in seconds, they share what works, what doesn’t, and why 80% of AI success comes down to data.


Why Listen
  • How AI prevents conflicting public-sector responses
  • Turning 1990s PDFs into instant search results
  • Training 500+ staff and shifting sentiment from fear to confidence
  • Why data readiness matters more than the AI itself

Timeline

00:00 — What the AI Lab is and why it exists

03:30 — Why a sandbox approach matters

11:30 — Training 500+ staff and changing AI sentiment

21:27 — “Ctrl+F on steroids”: AI for council questions

22:04 — Searching records back to the 1990s

24:29 — The truth: data preparation is 80% of the work

27:00 — Building control use cases and operational impact

32:40 — Scaling AI safely in local government


AI in government, digital transformation, local government innovation, generative AI, public sector technology, Ireland eGovernment Awards, smart cities, data governance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Quantum computing could upend how governments plan, model and decide — sooner than expected12 Feb 202600:27:53

Quantum computing is often described as “next-generation” technology — but according to Equal1 CEO Jason Lynch, it’s much closer, more practical, and more relevant to government than most people realise.


In this episode of Transform Gov, Jason explains quantum computing in plain English, why it follows AI rather than replaces it, and how it could transform public services — from climate modelling and flooding prediction to healthcare, logistics and national infrastructure planning.


We also explore why waiting until quantum “arrives” may already be too late for CIOs, and what public-sector leaders should be doing now to prepare.


Topic timeline
  • 00:01 – What quantum computing actually is (without the jargon)
  • 03:10 – Why AI is hitting limits: energy, cost and sustainability
  • 04:30 – Healthcare, drugs and why we still don’t know how paracetamol works
  • 06:20 – Optimisation problems governments can’t solve today
  • 08:00 – Why Equal1’s data-centre approach changes everything
  • 11:40 – Why ESA became Equal1’s first customer
  • 15:40 – What CIOs should be planning for now
  • 17:50 – Quantum, security and post-quantum cryptography
  • 20:40 – Digital sovereignty and Europe’s quantum future
  • 25:00 – What citizens may notice in five years’ time


quantum computing explained, quantum computing government, public sector technology, digital government podcast, future of computing, AI and quantum, government innovation

what is quantum computing, how quantum computing affects government, quantum vs AI, when will quantum computing be used, quantum computing public services

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why telling people what to do doesn’t work 04 Feb 202600:27:19

What if improving health didn’t start with another campaign telling people what to do?


In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Stephen McPeake, founder of Civic Dollars, about a practical, community-led way councils and health bodies are encouraging healthier behaviour — and actually seeing results.


Stephen explains why incentives often work better than awareness campaigns, why people push back when they’re told what to do, and how councils and health bodies are using Civic Dollars to improve wellbeing, support local businesses, and strengthen communities.


A smart listen for anyone working in public health, local government, or digital transformation.


Topics

00:00 – 01:00

Why public services struggle to change behaviour

01:00 – 03:00

A simple idea: rewarding people for time outdoors

03:00 – 05:30

How health activity turns into community impact

05:30 – 09:00

Using incentives instead of prescriptions

09:00 – 12:10

Why public health campaigns don’t work

12:10 – 15:00

Why place matters more than apps

15:00 – 19:00

How innovation gets stuck in pilot mode

19:00 – 27:00

What councils get, what it costs, and what’s next

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI can now fake identity 26 Jan 202600:30:53

AI can already create near-perfect replicas of passports, utility bills and other identity documents — good enough to bypass many existing checks.

In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Dr Hitesh Tewari, Professor at Trinity College Dublin and researcher at the ADAPT Centre, about what this means for public services that rely on digital identity, from welfare and healthcare to licensing and payments.

They explore:

  • Why traditional KYC approaches are no longer sufficient
  • How fraud becomes dangerous when it becomes scalable
  • How zero-knowledge proof can allow verification without over-sharing data
  • How blockchain can support trust, not speculation
  • Lessons from real-world projects in energy, voting and healthcare data

A practical, risk-focused conversation for those responsible for digital public services.


Key topics
  • 01:25 – AI-generated identity documents and KYC risk
  • 06:30 – Why scalable fraud changes everything
  • 10:45 – What blockchain is (and is not) for government
  • 13:50 – Zero-knowledge proof explained simply
  • 19:40 – Tackling greenwashing with better energy attribution
  • 22:15 – Healthcare data, silos and trust
  • 25:50 – What’s coming next: opportunities and risks


Digital identity, AI fraud, KYC, public sector technology, digital government, blockchain, zero-knowledge proof, cybersecurity, trust in government, ADAPT Centre, Trinity College Dublin


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to design digital government for everyone16 Jan 202600:37:43

Digital services only work if everyone can use them.

In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Donal Fitzpatrick and Shivaali Scully from the National Disability Authority about accessibility, universal design and the fast-emerging role of AI in public services.

They explore if AI can remove barriers for people with disabilities, where serious risks around bias and privacy remain, and why involving users early in design is the single most important factor in getting digital services right.


The conversation ranges from real-world examples of AI supporting accessibility, to the impact of the European Accessibility Act, and why Ireland is emerging as a global leader in universal design.

This is a must-listen for anyone designing, commissioning or delivering digital services in the public or private sector.


Timeline / Topics
  • 00:00 – Why accessibility is central to digital government
  • 03:00 – AI and accessibility: opportunity versus risk
  • 06:30 – Why user voices must shape design from day one
  • 09:30 – Privacy, bias and the limits of AI
  • 17:00 – European Accessibility Act explained
  • 23:00 – Ireland’s leadership in universal design
  • 34:00 – The Universal Design Grand Challenge and future talent


Accessibility, Universal Design, AI in Government, Digital Public Services, Inclusion, European Accessibility Act, Public Sector Innovation, Transform Gov

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is government structurally ready for the digital age? OGCIO behind the scenes07 Jan 202600:21:28

This is a frank conversation about pace, legislation, risk culture, and delivery at scale — and why digital reform will stall unless governments change how decisions are made, not just what they build.


Part 2 of Transform Gov, Dr Tony Shannon, Head of Digital Services at Ireland’s Office of the Government CIO. This interview goes beyond strategy and confronts the real constraints holding back public-sector transformation.

Tony explains why:

  • the machinery of government is not yet fit for the digital age
  • legislation itself must become “digital-ready”
  • life-event based services require cross-government ownership
  • Ireland has a unique opportunity to lead between EU regulation and US innovation

This episode will resonate with anyone responsible for delivery, governance, funding, architecture, or reform in the public sector.

Part 2 of 2

Presented by Maeve Kneafsey

Transform Gov – part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards, in partnership with Accenture


Key moments
  • 01:45 – Why 2030 is the end of the digital decade, not the start
  • 04:30 – Life events, building blocks and shared ownership
  • 07:00 – Digital public infrastructure explained
  • 11:25 – Ireland’s position between EU regulation and US innovation
  • 17:00 – Why the machinery of government is not yet fit for the digital age
  • 18:30 – The case for digital-ready legislation


Key subjects: public sector digital transformation, government CIO, digital government Ireland, life events strategy, digital public infrastructure, govtech, public service reform, digital legislation, OGCIO, Transform Gov podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The doctor helping to rewire how Ireland delivers public services17 Dec 202500:26:14

Dr Tony Shannon, Head of Digital Services in Ireland’s Office of the Government CIO, shares his remarkable journey from emergency medicine to the front line of digital government.

He shares why healthcare’s chaos taught him how to fix complex systems, how the NHS’s multi-billion-pound IT failure shaped his thinking, and why now—in his words—“is a moment that matters and a decade that matters.”

Expect insight, urgency and practical lessons for anyone who believes public services can, and must, work better for people and planet.

Part 1 of 2.

Listen for:

  • How a doctor’s pattern-recognition mindset applies to digital reform
  • What went wrong with the NHS national IT programme
  • The three-way equation of People + Process + Technology
  • Why the pandemic briefly showed how agile government can be
  • Why risk-aversion, if left unchallenged, will cost us all


Digital transformation, public sector innovation, Ireland eGovernment, Tony Shannon, OGCIO, Maeve Kneafsey, healthcare informatics, open source, agile delivery, leadership, government reform, risk culture, digital public services, data, AI in government, life-event strategy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From endless pilots to real progress 10 Dec 202500:37:29

How do great ideas in healthcare move from pilot projects to everyday practice?


In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey talks with Louise (Lou) O’Hare, Assistant National Director at the Sláintecare Transformation and Innovation Office, about how the Sláintecare Integration Innovation Fund (SIF) is creating a clear pathway for innovation across Ireland’s health system.


Lou shares how the new Health Innovation Framework will ensure promising solutions — from clinician-led ideas to community telehealth — can move from proof of concept to full rollout, with proper governance, funding, and scaling support.


We hear the story behind the Healthy Islands Project, how AI and innovation hubs are shaping the future of care, and what’s next for collaboration between Spark, HSE innovators, and digital health leaders.


Sláintecare, HSE innovation, healthcare transformation Ireland, digital health, health technology, Spark Fund, SIF, health innovation framework, healthcare governance, telehealth, clinician innovation, HSE leadership, healthcare transformation podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joined-up by design: How Ireland’s largest dept. is re-thinking digital services around real life events02 Dec 202500:41:11


In this episode, Maeve Kneafsey talks with Paula Lyons, Ass. Secretary and Head of Service Development at the Department of Social Protection, about how her team is redesigning services around life events like having a child, retirement, or bereavement.

They discuss:

  • Why DSP’s philosophy is “digital by desire”, not by force
  • How citizen trust and data sharing are unlocking connected services
  • The next generation of online welfare and pension services

A must-listen for anyone shaping digital government and citizen-first transformation.


Subscribe now for personal email updates www.digitalgovawards.com


01:05 – What motivates Paula to stay in public service

10:00 – How “Digital by Desire” became DSP’s guiding principle

24:05 – Designing services around real life events

29:30 – AI pilots and the future of digital service delivery

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How digital twins could solve Ireland’s housing emergency and end paper planning21 Nov 202500:35:16

Ireland is preparing radical moves to accelerate housing delivery. But what if the real breakthrough doesn’t come from policy — but from technology?


In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey meets Gavin Duffy, Founder & CEO of RealSim, the Irish company building ultra-accurate 3D digital twins of real towns, cities, and infrastructure.

Gavin explains how immersive planning tools can speed up decisions, reduce objections, and help councils and agencies build better homes and infrastructure, faster.


From Jersey to Fingal and Balbriggan, this is a masterclass in practical digital transformation for public planning and housing delivery.


Digital twin Ireland, housing emergency Ireland, planning reform Ireland, public-sector innovation, RealSim, Gavin Duffy, Maeve Kneafsey, Transform Gov, Fingal County Council, Balbriggan regeneration, Jersey planning model, e-planning Ireland, 3D planning tools, Irish housing delivery, local authority innovation.


00:00 – Why Ireland’s housing emergency needs new tools

04:30 – What RealSim actually does in plain English

08:10 – Lessons from Jersey’s planning transformation

14:00 – Why Irish planning is still PDF-first

18:40 – Balbriggan case study

25:00 – How digital twins reduce objections

30:40 – What councils need to adopt digital twins

35:30 – The future: national digital twin for Ireland

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why kids can't skip skipping11 Nov 202500:34:08

Childhood movement skills — hopping, skipping, throwing, catching — have collapsed globally. But one Irish spin-out is changing that story.


Dr Jamie McGann, co-founder of MoveAhead, joins Maeve Kneafsey on Transform Gov to reveal how his Dublin-based team built the world’s largest dataset of children’s movement, and how it’s now driving apps, curricula, and classrooms from Ireland to China.


In this award-winning collaboration with Smart D8, MoveAhead helps teachers objectively assess movement, personalise PE through AI, and bring physical literacy back into the heart of education.

Learn how Irish innovation can tackle one of the biggest health and education challenges of our time.


Listen, share, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts — or watch on YouTube UC8jdqo_NbX6BHmkTynUdWJw.


Kinder Joy of Moving, Kinder App, Smart D8, Dublin City University, DCU, Sport Ireland, NCCA, Irish EdTech, Global Child Health, Movement Skills, AI in Education



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When AI starts to act: Alan Smeaton on the future of Government30 Oct 202500:34:25

Can AI make decisions, not just suggestions? Professor Alan Smeaton — DCU researcher, Government AI Advisory Council member and builder of Ireland’s first AI teaching assistant — explains what agentic AI really means and why Estonia is blazing ahead and already using it in classrooms. He tells host Maeve Kneafsey why Ireland can’t afford to wait, how data can save citizens money, and why AI literacy must become a national skill and future economic stability and growth.


[00:00] When AI starts to act  

[06:00] Teaching the machines that teach us  

[13:00] Estonia’s national rollout  

[22:00] What is Agentic AI?  

[30:00] Why AI literacy matters now


Agentic AI, Artificial Intelligence in Government, Digital Government, Public Sector Transformation, Generative AI, AI Literacy, Alan Smeaton, DCU, AI Advisory Council Ireland, Estonia Digital Government, Ireland eGovernment Awards, Accenture Public Sector, Transform Gov Podcast, Ireland, Europe




Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new Golden Age of Infrastructure: Huda As’ad on data, AI and building better for citizens22 Oct 202500:24:13

From leading roles in the London 2012 Olympics to advising governments on next-generation infrastructure, Huda As’ad of Accenture believes we’re entering a new golden age — where AI, data, and digital twins redefine how nations build, maintain, and sustain public infrastructure.

In this episode of Transform Gov, she explains how technology can cut waste, enhance safety, and build public trust in delivery.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How predictive tech is cutting public infrastructure costs by 25%15 Oct 202500:27:13

From the London Olympics to Ireland’s National Development Plan — Huda As’ad, Managing Director for Capital Projects & Infrastructure at Accenture, shares how data, AI, and digital twins are reshaping how nations build and maintain public assets.

Learn how predictive analytics is saving 25% on maintenance costs, how transparency builds trust, and why “fail fast, learn fast” is the new rule for public projects that deliver real outcomes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Corbridge: Breaking Barriers in Digital Transformation — from NHS & HSE to Global Industry01 Oct 202500:32:10

A conversation with one of the Ireland’s and UK's most influential CIOs on people-first transformation, AI in action, and why governance makes or breaks digital change.


Richard Corbridge has led some of the biggest digital transformations in health, government and retail — from Ireland’s HSE and the NHS to Boots, the UK’s Department for Work & Pensions, and now property giant Segro. In this episode, Richard shares what it takes to keep technology people-first, how to make AI deliver real outcomes, and why governance and culture shape the CIO role more than ever. A must-listen for digital leaders navigating transformation in both the public and private sector.


Key Topics for CIOs
  • People-first digital transformation — why “citizen, patient, customer or colleague” all come first, not the tech.
  • The evolving CIO role — moving from “the basement” to the boardroom, and why CIOs must be catalysts and foundations for change.
  • AI in the public sector — lessons from the UK Dept. of Work & Pensions on using AI to read 24,000 handwritten letters daily and deliver help in 24 hours instead of 4 weeks.
  • Avoiding AI hype — how to stop “AI for AI’s sake” and pick the right problems to solve.
  • Governance that enables speed — why private sector governance delivers faster transformation and what public sector can learn.
  • Agile vs. perfection — “Don’t let great be the enemy of good” in digital deployment.
  • Building digital talent pipelines — attracting and developing IT professionals in public service, and tackling diversity and generational gaps.
  • Cross-sector insights — how lessons from health, retail, government and industry overlap and inform each other.
  • Future vision for public services — joined-up government, once-only data use, and seamless citizen experience.
  • Personal side of leadership — balancing life as CIO with a thousand-strong vinyl collection and a “collector’s mindset.”


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From worst broadband to digital pioneers 09 Sep 202500:36:08
When the National Broadband Plan reached Longford, Danny Lynch and his team turned a rural challenge into a digital revolution. Partnering with Microsoft and Ericsson, they introduced hundreds of schoolchildren to coding, built new digital career pathways, and helped transform Longford into a hub of opportunity. Discover how a small county became a big player in Ireland’s public-sector digital transformation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From fear to confidence: how Ireland’s updated AI Guidelines are transforming public services26 Aug 202500:27:37

AI in government has shifted from “don’t touch it” to “how fast can we scale it?” In this episode of Transform Gov, host Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Marianne Cassidy of the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform about Ireland’s updated AI guidelines—designed not to restrict, but to empower.

Discover how cross-functional teams (from HR to legal to CIOs) shaped practical frameworks and decision tools; why real use cases—from Revenue, Agriculture and the HSE—were the turning point; how the IPA is embedding AI into CPD and leadership training; and why trust, GDPR compliance and collaboration are critical to scaling safe, human-centric AI across the public sector.

If you work in digital transformation, service design, or policy innovation, this is a must-listen: insights, examples, and lessons you can apply right now.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From 40+ interactions with Government for one life-event: Marianne Cassidy on Ireland’s Digital Public Service Plan 203014 Aug 202500:42:02
Maeve Kneafsey talks to Marianne Cassidy (DPER) about Ireland’s Digital Public Service Plan to 2030.

  • Life-event lens: births, social housing, driving, becoming a student
  • Governance: hybrid model for cross-department ownership
  • Design process: user research, journey mapping, Target Operating Models
  • Impact: cutting 40+ steps from the birth journey
  • Tech: “skin-over-legacy” for seamless front-end experience
  • Inclusion: designing for amplified needs via Nimbus Centre partnerships

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Ireland’s 31 Local Authorities are creating one digital front door – Sabahat Khan, LGMA06 Aug 202500:38:39

🎧 What happens when 31 local authorities decide to act as one? Sabahat Khan, Assistant CEO and CIO of the LGMA, joins Transform Gov to reveal how they're reshaping Ireland’s local government services through design-led, citizen-first digital transformation.


From standardising services to building trust and rolling out a national SOC, this is digital reform with teeth. Tune in now for practical insight, big vision, and what it takes to get 31 moving parts working as one.


🔗 Listen here or watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@Transformthedigitalgover-123/videos

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RTÉ’s bold formula: short clips + better platforms 21 Jul 202500:27:21

What if the secret to protecting your core services was giving away content on other platforms? And what if public trust hinged on the accessibility of your apps?


In Part 2, RTÉ’s Tracey Diamond and Joe Hoban reveal how Ireland’s national broadcaster:


  • Used short-form content to amplify traditional TV and radio
  • Made user experience and accessibility central to rebuilding trust
  • Navigates AI’s promise and pitfalls in public service media
  • Delivers lessons every public sector team should hear

🎧 Essential for leaders shaping digital government.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How RTÉ rebuilt public trust after crisis | Transform Gov podcast09 Jul 202500:34:06

RTÉ’s Joe Hoban and Tracey Diamond share how their award-finalist campaign “We’re here to be better, for you” became the start of a new era for public service media.

In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey asks:

✔️ Why did RTÉ choose to go public with such a bold message?

✔️ How can public organisations communicate honestly without making things worse?

✔️ What role does digital strategy play in winning back younger audiences?

✔️ How can you create impact on a minimal budget?


Watch for practical insights every public sector leader and communications team can use — whether you’re facing a crisis or building public trust from the ground up.

Subscribe for more stories of public sector transformation and innovation www.digitalgovawards.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cyber resilience lessons from Accenture’s Global and Ireland Security Leads30 Jun 202500:39:09

In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey welcomes Jacky Fox, Global Lead for Accenture’s Security Practice, and Chris Davey, Security Lead for Accenture Ireland. They unpack:

  • The hardest cyber challenges in public services today
  • Why legacy IT and shadow cloud matter more than you think
  • Winning the human factor: awareness, culture and insider risk
  • How AI, automation & threat intelligence are reshaping defence
  • Practical, scalable actions any public-sector CIO can take

Essential listening for transformation leaders and tech providers aiming to build cyber trust in government.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI you can trust: Why cognitive AI is built for public sector truth24 Jun 202500:30:50

John Callaghan of Partsol explains why Cognitive AI is not just another GenAI tool — it’s a purpose-built engine designed for absolute traceability, source transparency, and auditability.


If you're in government, regulation, justice, or compliance — this one’s for you.


This episode reveals:


*Why “hallucinations” make GenAI risky for public services


*How Cognitive AI guarantees evidence-based outputs


*Real examples from defence, legal, and government sectors


*Why public servants should demand AI that can be cross-examined


*How this tech enables decision support without losing control


Whether you're drafting legislation, handling appeals, or working in regulatory environments — this is the kind of AI that works with you, not around you.


🎧 Listen now and discover what explainable, defensible AI really looks like.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inside the AI trust gap: what the public really thinks, with Tom Johnson of Trajectory16 Jun 202500:31:08

In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey is joined by Tom Johnson, MD of insight consultancy Trajectory, to explore what the public really thinks about AI — and the answers might surprise you.

From rising fears about deepfakes to the surprising number of people who still haven’t heard of generative AI, Tom shares exclusive research tracking public sentiment across the UK. You’ll hear why older adults and women are more cautious, how AI is already shaping public services invisibly, and what 75% of people actually agree on when it comes to regulation.

If you work in government, tech, or service design — this episode is a must-listen. Because in the race to implement AI, forgetting public opinion could be the costliest mistake of all.

AI public opinion, trust in AI, digital government, AI and public services, Tom Johnson Trajectory, Transform Gov podcast, AI regulation UK, AI and demographics, AI in public sector

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two Extremes. Pedal power and AI solving transport problems10 Jun 202500:22:44

In this episode of Transform Gov, we explore how Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is rethinking infrastructure management with cutting-edge tech. Stephen Smyth and Gerard O'Dea share how their team is using AI tools like RoadAI and eventually crowdsourced mobile footage to monitor over 1,700km of greenways and footpaths — all with low-cost, scalable tech.

From a phone on a bike to a national data strategy, hear how innovation is driving efficiency, sustainability, and smarter public sector planning. Don’t miss their insights on data governance, citizen-generated content, and what's next for smart mobility in Ireland.

Subscribe (www.digitalgovawards.com) and listen now to learn how public sector innovation is hitting the road.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI spotting fractures. 50,000 hours saved. Ireland’s digital health shift is no longer a plan — it’s happening.04 Jun 202500:28:25

In this episode of Transform Gov, host Maeve Kneafsey continues her conversation with Damien McCallion, Deputy CEO and Chief Technology & Transformation Officer at the HSE, to explore how a national health system is embracing digital — not just with ambition, but with action.

Damien shares the inside story of:

  • How over 50,000 staff hours have already been saved through automation
  • Why the seven-year Electronic Health Record programme is built to survive turbulence
  • How AI is now detecting fractures faster than ever in Irish hospitals
  • What lessons every public sector CIO and digital leader can learn from the HSE’s transformation playbook
  • The secret to embedding a culture of digital safety across massive frontline teams

If you’re leading change in government — in health, education, justice or beyond — or supplying technology into the public sector, this episode is packed with practical insight, scalable ideas, and real-world results.

🎙️ Listen now to discover what’s working — and what’s next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

© My Podcast Data · Projet indépendant · Données issues d'Apple & Spotify