Following its re-launch on September 3rd 2010, the City Council’s revamped website was shortlisted in 3 categories in the 2011 Ireland eGovernment Awards
The potential of the website to fulfill a promotional role for the City was a key driver in its redesign. The website was reconfigured to function a lot differently and to fulfill a strategic role in promoting Cork and the Cork Region. As well as the smart new look, new features have been added to the site including video clips and an Events Carousel. The functionality has been adapted to provide for more efficient sign-posting to other service providers and sites of interest.
“I am delighted that once again Cork City Council has been recognised for its efforts towards improving on-line public services." Ruth Buckley, Head of Information Services.
Now in its tenth year, the Ireland eGovernment Awards are the recognised benchmark for excellence in Irish eGovernment services and standards. The Ireland eGovernment Awards http://www.irishegovernmentawards.ie in association with Eircom are jointly run by the Public Sector times newspaper and web usage and web strategy experts Elucidate.
Following its re-launch on September 3rd last, the City Council’s revamped website was short-listed for a 2010 Irish Web Award in the “Best Government and Council Website” Category.
The new look website underwent a year-long reconstruction which resulted in a re-orientation of its focus. The potential of the site to fulfill a promotional role for the City was a key driver in its redesign.
“The website had over half a million visitors last year, with over one third of these coming from overseas”, explains Ruth Buckley, Head of Information Services.
“The website has now been reconfigured to function a lot differently and to fulfill a strategic role in promoting Cork and the Cork Region.”
As well as the smart new look, new features have been added to the site including video clips and an Events Carousel. The functionality has been adapted to provide for more efficient sign-posting to other service providers and sites of interest.
The awards ceremony took place on 16th October 2010 in the Mansion House, Dublin. Our congratulations to Enterprise Ireland http://enterprise-ireland.com/en/ who won this cagegory.
Further information on the 2010 Irish Web Awards is available from http://webawards.ie/

The Access Cork website www.accesscork.ie won the Best Project – Services to Citizens in the Vodafone Innovating Government Awards 2008 which was held in Dublin Castle on 9th October 2008. The Awards, presented by Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of An Taoiseach, Pat Carey TD, seek to recognise excellence and creativity for innovative initiatives in the public sector.

Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of an Taoiseach, Pat Carey, TD, and Martin Murphy, MD of HP, presenting the Best Project - Services to Citizens Award for the Access Cork Website to Eileen O'Leary, Information Systems Department, Cork City Council.
Tony Power, Community and Enterprise Directorate, Ruth Buckley, Head of Information Systems and Eileen O’Leary, Information Systems Department, Cork City Council.
The Access Cork website was also shortlisted for the Inspired IT Awards – Government Category. The Awards Ceremony was held on 9th October 2008 at the Mansion House in Dublin.
Donie O’Leary, Cork City Partnership and Al Devine, Information Systems Department, Cork City Council.
Front row, left to right: Ger Desmond, Information Systems Dept., Joe Gavin, City Manager, Eileen O’Leary, IS Dept., Cork City Council. Back row, left to right:
Alan Cournane and Catherine Kelly, Community & Enterprise Directorate and
Ruth Buckley, Head of Information Systems, Cork City Council, Ann O’Sullivan, Access Cork and Al Devine, IS Dept., Cork City Council.
The Access Cork website www.accesscork.ie, developed by Cork City Council, won two Irish eGovernment Awards - Accessible Irish eGovernment Award and the Project Management Irish eGovernment Award – at the 2008 Irish eGoverment Awards.
The Awards were presented by Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD on Thursday 21st February 2008 at a Gala Dinner in the Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin, attended by over 350 guests.
Head of Information Systems, Cork City Council, Ruth Buckley is delighted with the Awards “The Accessibility Award is particularly appreciated by our staff as it is Cork City Council’s third time being nominated for such an Award in the last three years. The Project Management Award reflects the City Council’s on-going efforts to implement best practice in this area.”
Cork City Council adopted a participative approach in the preparation of the website. The steering group included representatives from Cheshire Homes, Enable Ireland, Cork Disability Interest Group, Cork Access Group, Cork Association for the Deaf, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, Cork Centre for Independent Living and People with Disabilities in Ireland.
Director of Services in Community and Enterprise, Mr Jim O’Donovan welcomed the awards; “The Department of Community and Enterprise is delighted to be involved in this very worthwhile and useful project that provides information in a user-friendly and easy manner.”
The www.accesscork.ie website provides information which helps people with disabilities, their families and friends identify accessible shops, restaurants, pubs, accommodation and entertainment venues in Cork city. The content reflects the day to day experiences of people with disabilities and assists in deciding whether a particular venue meets their access requirements by answering key everyday questions such as:
The Irish eGovernment Awards, jointly run by the Public Sector Times newspaper and web usage and content experts Elucidate, are now in their sixth year. They are the recognised benchmark for excellence in Irish eGovernment services and standards. The Awards raise awareness and recognise the innovators, developers, forward thinkers and experts who are pioneering the changes happening in how the Irish Government delivers services to its citizens.
Press Release: 25th February 2008
Front row, left to right:: Ger Desmond, Information Systems Dept.,
Joe Gavin, City Manager, Eileen O’Leary, Information Systems Department, Cork City Council. Back row, left to right: Al Devine, Information Systems Department and Ruth Buckley, Head of Information Systems, Cork City Council.
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD,
Joe Gavin, Cork City Manager and Prof. Dr. Stefan Decker, DERI.
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD,
Joe Gavin, Cork City Manager and David Hearn, Deloitte.

Ruth Buckley, Head of Information Systems Cork City Council, receiving the award for Best Local Government website from Tom Kitt T.D. Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with responsibility for eGovernment. Also included in the photograph is Annie Arshak from Smart Telecom.
Cork City Council's website won an Irish eGovernment Award for best local government web innovation. This award was for the website or online service that has succeeded in clearly delivering better services, information and efficiencies to its target audience. Key factors include enhanced customer service, an increase in efficiencies, access to local information or resource savings, simplicity or ease of use and innovation. This brings off a unique double as the council also won the Irish Internet Golden Spider Award for Best Local Authority Website in November 2005.
The Irish eGovernment Awards were hosted by Elucidate and the Public Sector Times. Reach was the premier Sponsor and other sponsors included Smart Telecom, Eircom and Foras na Gaeilge. The Irish eGovernment Awards were attended by Tom Kitt T.D. Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with responsibility for eGovernment.

Ger Desmond, Eileen O'Leary, Ruth Buckley and Al Devine, Information Systems Department, Cork City Council, photographed at the Awards Ceremony.
Ger Desmond, Eileen O'Leary and Al Devine, Information Systems Department, Cork City Council, photographed at the Awards Ceremony.

Ger Desmond, Eileen O'Leary and Al Devine of the Information Systems Department, Cork City Council, photographed at the Golden Spiders Irish Internet Awards 2005.
Cork City Council’s primary website www.corkcity.ie won a Golden Spider Award for the the 'Best Public Sector Website - Local' in the Golden Spiders Irish Internet Awards 2005. This award recognises the best use of the Internet by a Public Sector organisation. The organisation must look to deliver on innovation and the ability to integrate the Internet as a business tool. The Lifetime Lab website www.lifetimelab.ie was also shortlisted for the ‘Best Public Sector Website - Local' category.
The awards were announced on Thursday 1st December 2005 www.goldenspiders.ie.

Fintan Lawler of Eircom.Net presenting the Golden Spider Award to Ger Desmond of the Information Systems Department, Cork City Council.

Joe Gavin, City Manager, Eileen O’Leary, Ger Desmond, Al Devine, IS Department, Denis O’Mahony, Director of Service (Environment) and Ruth Buckley, Head of Information Systems photographed in the Council Chambers, City Hall, Cork.

Jerry Moynihan and Mary Walsh representing the Lifetime Lab at the Awards Ceremony.
The Local Government Computer Services Board awarded an Internet Services Excellence Award 2002 Commendation to Cork City Council as a city that provides high quality services over the Internet. The award was given by the LGCSB following the examination of a number of Irish Local Authority websites.

The award ceremony was made on board the Jeanie Johnston. L to R: Dave Moynihan, Ger Desmond, Dave Power, Eileen O'Leary, Maurice Murphy, Ruth Buckley, Margo O'Connell and Bryan Humphreys.