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.

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• Life-event lens: births, social housing, driving, becoming a student
• Governance: hybrid model for cross-department ownership
• Design process: user research, journey mapping, Target Operating Models
• Impact: cutting 40+ steps from the birth journey
• Tech: “skin-over-legacy” for seamless front-end experience
• Inclusion: designing for amplified needs via Nimbus Centre partnerships

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🎧 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

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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
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🎧 Essential for leaders shaping digital government.

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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

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In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey welcomes Jacky Fox, Global Lead for Accenture’s Security Practice, and Chris Davey, Security Lead for Accenture Ireland. They unpack:

• The hardest cyber challenges in public services today
• Why legacy IT and shadow cloud matter more than you think
• Winning the human factor: awareness, culture and insider risk
• How AI, automation & threat intelligence are reshaping defence
• Practical, scalable actions any public-sector CIO can take

Essential listening for transformation leaders and tech providers aiming to build cyber trust in government.

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John Callaghan of Partsol explains why Cognitive AI is not just another GenAI tool — it’s a purpose-built engine designed for absolute traceability, source transparency, and auditability.

If you're in government, regulation, justice, or compliance — this one’s for you.

This episode reveals:

*Why “hallucinations” make GenAI risky for public services

*How Cognitive AI guarantees evidence-based outputs

*Real examples from defence, legal, and government sectors

*Why public servants should demand AI that can be cross-examined

*How this tech enables decision support without losing control

Whether you're drafting legislation, handling appeals, or working in regulatory environments — this is the kind of AI that works with you, not around you.

🎧 Listen now and discover what explainable, defensible AI really looks like.

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In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey is joined by Tom Johnson, MD of insight consultancy Trajectory, to explore what the public really thinks about AI — and the answers might surprise you.

From rising fears about deepfakes to the surprising number of people who still haven’t heard of generative AI, Tom shares exclusive research tracking public sentiment across the UK. You’ll hear why older adults and women are more cautious, how AI is already shaping public services invisibly, and what 75% of people actually agree on when it comes to regulation.

If you work in government, tech, or service design — this episode is a must-listen. Because in the race to implement AI, forgetting public opinion could be the costliest mistake of all.

AI public opinion, trust in AI, digital government, AI and public services, Tom Johnson Trajectory, Transform Gov podcast, AI regulation UK, AI and demographics, AI in public sector

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In this episode of Transform Gov, we explore how Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is rethinking infrastructure management with cutting-edge tech. Stephen Smyth and Gerard O'Dea share how their team is using AI tools like RoadAI and eventually crowdsourced mobile footage to monitor over 1,700km of greenways and footpaths — all with low-cost, scalable tech.

From a phone on a bike to a national data strategy, hear how innovation is driving efficiency, sustainability, and smarter public sector planning. Don’t miss their insights on data governance, citizen-generated content, and what's next for smart mobility in Ireland.

Subscribe (www.digitalgovawards.com) and listen now to learn how public sector innovation is hitting the road.

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In this episode of Transform Gov, host Maeve Kneafsey continues her conversation with Damien McCallion, Deputy CEO and Chief Technology & Transformation Officer at the HSE, to explore how a national health system is embracing digital — not just with ambition, but with action.

Damien shares the inside story of:

• How over 50,000 staff hours have already been saved through automation
• Why the seven-year Electronic Health Record programme is built to survive turbulence
• How AI is now detecting fractures faster than ever in Irish hospitals
• What lessons every public sector CIO and digital leader can learn from the HSE’s transformation playbook
• The secret to embedding a culture of digital safety across massive frontline teams

If you’re leading change in government — in health, education, justice or beyond — or supplying technology into the public sector, this episode is packed with practical insight, scalable ideas, and real-world results.

🎙️ Listen now to discover what’s working — and what’s next.

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