New Connections - Department of Taoiseach

(4.8) eBusiness Monitor Project (Forfás)The key objectives of the Forfás study are:ETE• To identify, monitor and assess key environmental factors necessary for e-Businessdevelopment• Adoption of e-Business in key sectors of the Irish economy• Assess implications of international e-Business developments/drivers (market,technology, etc) on Irish e-Business environment• Compare Ireland's environment for e-Business growth and the performance of keysectors in e-Business, relative to leading countriesUpdateThe report has been completed, with a summary of the key findings and actionsrequired circulated to relevant parties within Government. The final report is due earlyin 2003 and will be available on the website http://www.forfas.ie/In 2002, Forfás continued to monitor the development of eBusiness in Ireland andinternationally through the eBusiness monitor process, which is funded under theGovernment's Information Society Fund.In August 2002, Forfás initiated a new eBusiness monitoring process with theDepartment of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, IDA Ireland and EnterpriseIreland. It assesses the development potential of eBusiness in Ireland, outlines the policyresponses of other countries, and analyses the relative stage of eBusiness development inIrish enterprise and the requirements for a conducive eBusiness environment. Ireland isbenchmarked relative to Australia, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore,Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.e-Business: Where Are We and Where Do We Go from Here? was published in August2002. http://www.forfas.ie/publications/ebus2002/ebusiness2002.pdfThe e-business monitor has also provided a significant input into Ireland's InformationSociety policy through the provision of analysis and policy recommendations to theGovernment’s Second Information Action Plan (New Connections) and the InformationSociety Commission's report to Government (Building the Knowledge Society).(4.9) ForfásForfás e-business initiatives:ETE• Review of data centres, eMarket places & eProcurement• Monitor issue of VAT on business37