INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
The aim of Carlow Local Authorities Information Systems Department is to ensure efficient and effective use of the most up to date technologies to support and expand the use of Information Technology in the Council’s activities.
LOCAL AUTHORITY INTRANET AND EXTRANET
A corporate intranet has been implemented across the entire organisation and is used as the primary mechanism through which all systems and information is distributed. The Intranet will facilitate the delivery of services in the one-stop-shops.
The extranet allows the councillors access, on an enquiry only basis, to the following systems: Town and County Planning Systems, Register of Electors, Corporate Calendar. The members can now securely access their own e-mail via the extranet. The extranet will undergo continuous development and enhancement through consultation with the members.
INTERNET
ePayments introduced in 2005 have been streamlined. It is possible for members of the public to pay for Parking Fines, Fire Charges, Housing Loans, Housing Rents and Water Charges via the internet.
GIS
GIS applications and data have been migrated to our Storage Area Network SAN during 2006. The migration has provided the infrastructure to upgrade GeoMedia WebMap. This will facilitate the upgrade of gPlan, Planigis and the Corporate Browser in 2007.
MAPDRAIN
MapDrain has been implemented during 2006 to manage drainage networks and data. It allows users to digitise and store data relating to the various components of a drainage network. All old planning register maps were scanned and georegistered during 2005 and are now available in PlaniGis. The PlaniGis application allows the Local Authorities to digitise planning applications, unauthorised developments and architectural structures through the Internet browser.
WAN
Carlow Local Authorities continues to use the latest information and communication technologies to improve service delivery throughout the county. During 2006 all offices in Carlow Town were linked with 100MB fibre optic connections utilising the Metropolitan Area Network.
WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY
A web accessibility audit will be conducted against the Carlow Local Authorities site ensuring it conforms to priority 1 and 2 checkpoints of the WCAG 1.0 guidelines (www.accessit.nda.ie )
CARLOW METROPOLITAN AREA NETWORK
The network is being managed by e-Net as part of a national agreement to provide vital backbone infrastructure to telecoms companies wishing to provide broadband internet connectivity in the Carlow area.
e-Net and Carlow Local Authorities came together in January 2006 to explore the possibility of deploying a metropolitan Wi-Fi network in Carlow town centre.
The chosen platform is the world leading Tropos system supplied by Sigma Communications. The trial area is serviced by twelve Access Points distributed throughout the town centre utilising public lighting standards and buildings as appropriate.
Currently we are in the process of testing service delivery over the platform and to date results are extremely encouraging. A commercial trial will commence in March 2007 and run for twelve months. Pending the outcome it is intended to roll out this service nationally.