HORIZON-EIC-2023-iCapitalPrize - The European Capital of Innovation Awards
EU Prizes: Application form (prizes) The European Capital of Innovation Awards: V1.0 – 08.03.2023
digital content to users of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities, enabling libraries across the world to ensure digital inclusion for all. Cork City Libraries have rolled out Hublets to three of their libraries (Blackpool, Glanmire and Bishopstown) and these tablets have proved to be popular with customers to access online library resources and to access general online content and services. After every use, the Hublet automatically wipes the user's data fully and no personal information is stored. They are also safe and hygienic to use as they have a self-disinfecting coating. The Hublets are popular with older adults already and this will be further supported by the planned ‘Age Friendly Library liaison’ for each branch.
Remote Operated Vehicle for Cork City Council Fire Department
Cork City Council Fire Department successfully applied for funding through the National Innovation Fund to develop a robotic vehicle to help Cork City firefighters in high-risk environments. Currently, if the fire brigade comes across emergency incidents such as leaking hazardous materials or extremely high fire temperatures, they either must commit individuals to the high-risk environment, or not enter the area at all if the risk is deemed too high. This project is now trialling remotely operated vehicles (ROV) for firefighting, moving equipment and carrying out toxic or flammable air samples.
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Digital Service Provision
Digital Government is not simply about putting front-end services online but rather it encompasses everything from the core digitisation of public services to the digital infrastructure, governance, and processes, including both front-end and back-office transformation needed to deliver services for citizens, businesses, and Government. As part of Cork City Council’s di gital transformation programme, an online consultation portal was launched to better enable citizens to have their say on submissions and surveys that are central to the development of the city. An online forms submission platform was also launched in 2020 and 174 services were made accessible to citizens. In 2022, almost 20,000 submissions were made by 17,000 registered users processing over €250,000 in payments .
Cork City Council Chatbot
Cork City Council has developed and launched the first local authority chatbot in Ireland. The chatbot is available on the Cork City Council website and was developed in-house using the MS Virtual Agent platform as a pilot project launched In April 2023. The chatbot was developed to reduce the number of customer service calls by enabling customers to find the information they require more easily through our website 24/7. Currently, the City Council receives over 3,000 customer service calls per week, and it is hoped that the chatbot will reduce these calls. The Cork City Council Website receives approximately 3.25 million page views per year. In the pilot phase, the customer can complete a feedback survey if they choose which supports real-time feedback for the in-house development team who can update the chatbot with missing information and also identify high-demand content that should be included on the website.
Cyber-social project with University College Cork
Cork City Council supports University College Cork’s Cyber -Social Research Lab which is developing a 3-year ethnographic study focusing on the experience of technology by people in daily life. By cyber- social we simply mean the integration of digital technologies with social life. The intermediate objective is to conduct local ethnographic research leading to evidence-based outputs that will help allay social issues in Cork City’s digital transition towards becoming a ‘Smart City’. The findings from CyberSocial will provide the required evidence-based outputs to effect socially informed and nuanced policy for cultivating a socially and digitally just space for cyber-social living.
Irish Local Government Information Sharing Analysis Centre (ISAC)
In 2022 Cork City Council’s ICT department in collaboration with the LGMA, the HIS Liaison Group, IVI Maynooth University, and the National Cyber Security Centre, successfully won funding through the National Innovation Fund to establish an Irish Local Government Information Sharing Analysis Centre (ISAC). Information Sharing Analysis Centres (ISAC) are non-profit organisations that provide a central resource for gathering information on cyber threats as well as allowing two-way sharing of information between the private and the public sector. The ISAC is comprised of all 31 local authorities and the Local government management agency.
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