Transform Gov - the digital government podcast

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 timeline00:01 – What quantum computing actually is (without the jargon)03:10 – Why AI is hitting limits: energy, cost and sustainability04:30 – Healthcare, drugs and why we still don’t know how paracetamol works06:20 – Optimisation problems governments can’t solve today08:00 – Why Equal1’s data-centre approach changes everything11:40 – Why ESA became Equal1’s first customer15:40 – What CIOs should be planning for now17:50 – Quantum, security and post-quantum cryptography20:40 – Digital sovereignty and Europe’s quantum future25:00 – What citizens may notice in five years’ timequantum computing explained, quantum computing government, public sector technology, digital government podcast, future of computing, AI and quantum, government innovationwhat 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.

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.Topics00:00 – 01:00 Why public services struggle to change behaviour01:00 – 03:00 A simple idea: rewarding people for time outdoors03:00 – 05:30 How health activity turns into community impact05:30 – 09:00 Using incentives instead of prescriptions09:00 – 12:10 Why public health campaigns don’t work12:10 – 15:00 Why place matters more than apps15:00 – 19:00 How innovation gets stuck in pilot mode19:00 – 27:00 What councils get, what it costs, and what’s next Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI can 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 sufficientHow fraud becomes dangerous when it becomes scalableHow zero-knowledge proof can allow verification without over-sharing dataHow blockchain can support trust, not speculationLessons from real-world projects in energy, voting and healthcare dataA practical, risk-focused conversation for those responsible for digital public services.Key topics 01:25 – AI-generated identity documents and KYC risk06:30 – Why scalable fraud changes everything10:45 – What blockchain is (and is not) for government13:50 – Zero-knowledge proof explained simply19:40 – Tackling greenwashing with better energy attribution22:15 – Healthcare data, silos and trust25:50 – What’s coming next: opportunities and risksDigital 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.

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 / Topics00:00 – Why accessibility is central to digital government03:00 – AI and accessibility: opportunity versus risk06:30 – Why user voices must shape design from day one09:30 – Privacy, bias and the limits of AI17:00 – European Accessibility Act explained23:00 – Ireland’s leadership in universal design34:00 – The Universal Design Grand Challenge and future talentAccessibility, 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.

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 agelegislation itself must become “digital-ready”life-event based services require cross-government ownershipIreland has a unique opportunity to lead between EU regulation and US innovationThis episode will resonate with anyone responsible for delivery, governance, funding, architecture, or reform in the public sector.Part 2 of 2Presented by Maeve KneafseyTransform Gov – part of the Ireland eGovernment Awards, in partnership with AccentureKey moments01:45 – Why 2030 is the end of the digital decade, not the start04:30 – Life events, building blocks and shared ownership07:00 – Digital public infrastructure explained11:25 – Ireland’s position between EU regulation and US innovation17:00 – Why the machinery of government is not yet fit for the digital age18:30 – The case for digital-ready legislationKey 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.

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 reformWhat went wrong with the NHS national IT programmeThe three-way equation of People + Process + TechnologyWhy the pandemic briefly showed how agile government can beWhy risk-aversion, if left unchallenged, will cost us allDigital 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.

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.

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 forceHow citizen trust and data sharing are unlocking connected servicesThe next generation of online welfare and pension servicesA must-listen for anyone shaping digital government and citizen-first transformation.Subscribe now for personal email updates www.digitalgovawards.com01:05 – What motivates Paula to stay in public service10:00 – How “Digital by Desire” became DSP’s guiding principle24:05 – Designing services around real life events29:30 – AI pilots and the future of digital service delivery Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 tools04:30 – What RealSim actually does in plain English08:10 – Lessons from Jersey’s planning transformation14:00 – Why Irish planning is still PDF-first18:40 – Balbriggan case study25:00 – How digital twins reduce objections30:40 – What councils need to adopt digital twins35:30 – The future: national digital twin for Ireland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

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 nowAgentic 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.

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.

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.

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 CIOsPeople-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.

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.

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.

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 studentGovernance: hybrid model for cross-department ownershipDesign process: user research, journey mapping, Target Operating ModelsImpact: cutting 40+ steps from the birth journeyTech: “skin-over-legacy” for seamless front-end experienceInclusion: designing for amplified needs via Nimbus Centre partnerships Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎧 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.

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.

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.