‘Social Implications of Internet Development in Ireland’ Address to the Irish Internet...

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‘Social Implications of Internet Development in Ireland’ Address to the Irish Internet Association 7th July, 1999 Nualan O’Brien WRC Social & Economic Consultants. Introduction. WRC Social & Economic Consultants Context of this report. Social Implications of Internet Development. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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‘Social Implications of Internet Development in Ireland’

Address to the Irish Internet Association

7th July, 1999

Nualan O’Brien

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

Introduction

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

Context of this report

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

Social Implications of Internet Development

Does the information society pose an Opportunity or Threat?

Positive and Negative aspects of ICTs (Information

and Communication Technologies)

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

Positive Benefits

The new ICT’s have the:

potential potential to overcome barriers to employment faced by those with:

physical disabilities, people living in isolated areas or women working in the home

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

Negative Aspects

In realityreality,

the expansion of ICTs results in greater income disparity, exacerbating those who are already disadvantaged

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

Internet Use in Ireland

Report of the Information Society Commission, 1998

‘What the Public is saying?’

Early Adopters V Late Adopters

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Late Adopters of ICTs in Ireland

Working class

Living outside of Leicester

Female

Age: 35+

Working at home, not in mainstream employment

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

Early Adopters of ICTs in Ireland

ABC1 (Upper, middle, lower middle class)

Living in Leinster

Male

Age: 15-34

In mainstream employment

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

The EMPLOYMENT Initiative

EMPLOYMENT aims to promote:

access to the labour market,

equality of opportunity,

and social solidarity

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

The EMPLOYMENT Initiative

1995 -1999

It is funded by the European Social Fund, and funds pilot projects which run over two year periods.

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

EMPLOYMENT

Has four main strands, each with its own target group:

Horizon: People with disabilities

Integra: Social and economically excluded

e.g. Long-term unemployed, Migrants

NOW: women - at work and in the home

Youthstart: poorly qualified young people

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

EMPLOYMENT ICT Strategy

Aim: to ensure that these projects which cater for the socially excluded are not excluded themselves from the new technologies

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

EMPLOYMENT ICT Strategy

Background: documented in ‘Getting Connected (1998)’

This presentation looks at case studies of good practice of projects using the Internet to further their social agenda.

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Projects using ICTs

Date Project

Target group: Children with disabilities

Aim: Broaden access

Provides each child with a PC & training

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Central Remedial Clinic, Dublin

Project aim: disabilities advice on Assistive technologies locally.

Officers all have disabilities

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Gateway NOW project

Aim: To train 15 Long-term unemployed in how to run a newspaper

Plan to develop a website - put the paper online & train participants in HTML

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Mol an Oige: Tipperary

Aim: to prevent early school leaving

ICTs are being used as a learning medium, fun software being used to correct learning difficulties - removes the stigma associated with learning disabilities

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Clann Lir, Galway

Aim: To teach disadvantaged youth in rural areas how to make CD-ROMS through Irish

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Lessons from these projects

These projects are excellent examples of how ICTs and in particular the Internet can be used to:

1. Promote social inclusion;

2. To further these projects social agenda.

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Summary

The benefits of the Internet are not equitably distributed in Ireland

Civic, social & political benefits

of the Internet should be available to all

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

Recommendations

More programmes like Schools IT2000 need to be introduced, and made available to the general public

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

Recommendations

The current government policy focuses on developing a good telecommunications infrastructure, this is very important, but should not be the sole priority.

It is equally important that all have access to new ICTs to avoid creating a two tier Irish society.

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

Conclusion

Efforts must be made to provide all with the subsistence knowledge of ICTs in the information age.

If not, the social implications of Internet development will be divisive, not cohesive, damaging and not beneficial

to Ireland.

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

Further information is on the EMPLOYMENT Website:

Details on the following: the case studies, the EMPLOYMENT ICT strategy, and a list of links to relevant reports are available at:

http://www.iol.ie/EMPLOYMENT/ict/ictpol.html

Or contact: Nualan O’Brien

Email:wrc@iol.ie

Tel: 872 3100

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