From paper forms to AI: 23 years that completely rewired Ireland's Public Services

From paper forms to AI: 23 years that completely rewired Ireland's Public Services

May 15, 2026 · 34 min · Season 2 · Episode 70

About this episode

This episode explores the 23-year journey of Ireland's public sector from paper forms to AI integration, highlighting key changes and challenges.

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.

More episodes of Transform Gov - the digital government podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Transform Gov - the digital government podcast podcast page.