The countdown to digitisation is on… the public sector needs to be ready

Guest post by Mairead Malone, Ireland Sales Director & Country Leader, Logicalis UK&I
2030 is fast-approaching, which means the public sector in Ireland really needs to get a move on to ensure that 90% of key services will be delivered digitally by this time. This milestone, outlined in the Connecting Government 2030 strategy, is about ensuring trust, compliance, and value for citizens.
It's also about public sector bodies overcoming the obstacles that stand in their way – legacy systems, fragmented platforms, resource constraints, poor data, the list goes on. But the reality is these organisations have no choice but to modernise. So then, how do they do that securely, responsibly, and without disrupting essential services?
Putting the citizen first
It's essential to be clear about objectives before investing in technology. It's equally crucial to define a digital vision that aligns with policy objectives, organisational priorities and citizen outcomes. After all, they are the most important stakeholder in the digitisation journey.
Having a shared understanding ensures that every decision supports public value and citizen experience, as well as compliance. That's why undertaking workshops and readiness assessments is useful for devising a strategy and providing an actionable project roadmap.
Digital transformation is as much about services as it is about systems. Tailoring designs around citizen life events and enabling secure data sharing across agencies should be a top priority. Meanwhile, interoperable platforms and automation can improve speed, quality, and accessibility for both the public and public sector staff.
Not leaving security to the last
It's crucial to modernise legacy systems responsibly and remain cognisant that not all elements will move at once – prioritising systems based on risk, cost, and citizen impact will enable a phased migration plan, one that maintains service continuity while reducing technical debt. Organisations should consider hybrid cloud models which often offer such flexibility.
On the cybersecurity side, cyber assessments and secure-by-default architectures can help to ensure that modernisation aligns with compliance and resilience goals. After all, more online and digital services open up a range of new challenges and threats.
Especially within the public sector, trust is non-negotiable. That's why these organisations need to embed security and compliance by design so that risk can be reduced and data protected. Identity-first security and Zero Trust principles are a good place to start, aligning also with Irish and EU regulations.
Being the best
Modernisation is as much a leadership challenge as a technology one. It requires innovation and collaboration alongside governance and security. By following this roadmap, Irish public sector organisations can meet 2030 targets while protecting compliance and strengthening public confidence.
Of course, there's no real end to a digital transformation journey; it can feel intense as systems and processes are overhauled, but once the foundations are in place, maintaining and evolving becomes easier. By committing to continuous innovation, public sector bodies can improve operations, build frameworks and develop skills.
This future-proofed approach also ensures public services remain secure, efficient and – perhaps most importantly – citizen-focused. In turn, organisations in this space can turn digital ambition into reality, effectively and securely.
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