Information Management and

Technology Strategy
2021-2024
 CONTENTS

Foreword 03

Section 1 – Context and Direction 04

Business Context 05
Business Drivers 06
Focus and Challenges 07

Section 2 – Strategic Actions 08

IMT Vision and Mission 09
IMT Strategic Goals 2021-2023 10
IMT Contribution to Business Success 11

Section 3 – Governance 12
Guiding Principles 13
IMT Risks and Issues 14
IMT Governance Structure 15
Key Performance Indicators 16
Major Achievements 2017 – 2020 17

Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024

 Foreword Dear Colleagues,

I am delighted, as Chief Information Officer for the Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine, to introduce the
Department’s new Information Management and Technology Strategy for 2021-2024. This critical strategy will
underpin the Department’s vision of an innovative and sustainable agri-food sector operating to the highest
standards through utilising progressive IMT architectures, systems and technologies.

It is our mission to provide ICT services which will enable the Department to operate at the highest possible level
whilst supporting excellent customer service and the continued implementation of appropriate systems of
accountability and controls. While the Department faces significant challenges such as Covid-19, Brexit and trade
uncertainty, climate change concerns, and future Common Agriculture Policy and Common Fisheries Policy reform,
the Department, and in particular the IMT Group, has many opportunities to develop further and build on current
services provided.

Following an extensive stakeholder consultation, I am confident that the goals of the IMT Strategy 2021-2024 link
closely to the needs of our stakeholders as well as to the Department’s strategic objectives and initiatives. It is
acknowledged that the shift to digital services and demand for continuous services has not only grown at an
unprecedented rate but is also now driven by external factors creating a demand for 24/7 digital services on
multiple platforms. The previous Strategy provided a solid foundation on which we are now in a position to build
more agile and robust services which will enable the Department to meet demands over the next three years,
whilst continuing to deliver high quality schemes.

I would like to acknowledge the successes achieved during the lifetime of the previous IMT Strategy (2017-2020)
that delivered considerable improvements in the delivery of services including; the establishment of a Data Analytic
unit; enhancements to digital services including the introduction of mobile apps and sensors assisting with the
expansion of capabilities of business areas; the introduction of the Customer Relationship Management System
that provides a customer centric experience. Value for money was also maximised through the appropriate use of
Civil Service Wide ICT Central Services delivered by OGCIO and NSSO; continuous improvements in the area of IT
Security and the Enterprise Architecture review which identified key areas for modernisation and growth.

Digital transformation and modernisation of current technologies and skills will be at the forefront of delivering on
this Strategy along with its alignment with the strategies and targets set out in the DAFM Statement of Strategy
2021-2024, the Public Service ICT Strategy, OGCIO Strategy, Food Wise 2025, the Programme for Government,
National Digital Strategy, Civil service ICT Professionalisation Strategy and the Civil Service Renewal Plan. A key
outcome of this Strategy will be the delivery of end to end services by maximising opportunities for technology
adoption and innovation with a focus on delivering customer centric services through digitalisation.

Louise McKeever, CIO

Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024
 Section 1 – Context and Direction

Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024

 Business Context
DAFM VISION
A sustainable, innovative and competitive agri-food, forestry and seafood sector
DAFM MISSION
Lead, enable and regulate the sector in a way that optimises its contribution to social, economic and environmental sustainability
DAFM BUSINESS DAFM STRATEGIC GOALS
GOAL 1
Food
FoodSafety,
Safety, Public Health
Public Health
Animal Health and Welfare and To promote and safeguard public, animal and plant health
andConsumer Issues
Consumer Issues
and animal welfare for the benefit of consumers, producers,
the economy and wider society
GOAL 2
Farmer Schemes and Forestry
Forestry Sector Provide income and targeted supports to farmers and others
Payments
in the agri-food sector to underpin the rural economy and
optimise environmental sustainability
GOAL 3
Farming Sectors Research
Research Provide the optimum policy framework for the sustainable
development of the agri-food sector
GOAL 4
Deliver a sustainable, competitive and innovative seafood
Food Industry Development, Rural Environment and
Trade, Markets and the sector, driven by a skilled workforce, delivering value added
Sustainability products in line with consumer demand
Economy
GOAL 5
Maintain and develop strategic, operational, regulatory and
Seafood Sector technical capacity and capability to deliver excellent services
to our customers
Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024
 Business Drivers

Policy Environmental Socio-Economic Legislative

Drivers Drivers Drivers Drivers
Socio-Economic Drivers

 Program for Government  European Green Deal  Budget  Food Safety and Food
 DAFM Statement of  Climate Change  Animal Welfare Authenticity
Strategy 2021-2024  Emission Targets  Dietary Change  Official Controls
 Brexit  Animal Health  Availability of Skilled  GDPR
 Changing Markets  Support Climate Action, resources  OpenData
 Transition Period to CAP Improve Water Quality &  Loss of Experienced Staff
Biodiversity  ISO27001
 New Common  Changing Work
 National Environmental  EU & National
Agricultural Policy (CAP) Environments & Practices
Policy Regulations
 New Common Fisheries  Economic Environment
 Pandemic  Climate Action & Low
Policy (CFP)  Remote Working
 Disease Incidents Carbon Emissions

Information Management and Technology Strategy 2021-2024

 Focus and Challenges

Changing Work Environments

Brexit & International Trade
The Department will embrace and enable
Protecting the EU Single Market and expanding into
developments in work environments through
new international markets is key in supporting the
changed work practices and technological
Agri-Food sector in Ireland
innovations

Animal & Plant Health, Animal Welfare & Food

Global Pandemic Safety and Food Authenticity
The Department continues to respond swiftly and DAFM will continue to regulate and enforce and
effectively to support the Agri-food industry provide guidance and governance in the areas of
throughout the Covid-19 crisis animal & plant health, animal welfare and food
safety and food authenticity

Climate Change & Environment

Relevant and effective measures will be required to New CAP & CFP Programmes
meet the increasing challenges that climate change Implementation of the new CAP and CFP
will bring to the Agri-food Sector. DAFM will prepare Programmes will require huge effort across a
& support the sector to meet its climate & number of DAFM areas
environmental change obligations

Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024

 Section 2 – IMT Strategic Actions

Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024

 IMT Vision
Maximise opportunities for technology adoption and
innovation with a focus on delivering customer centric
services through digitalisation

IMT Mission
Provide ICT services to allow the Department to
operate at the highest possible level; support excellent
customer service and the continued implementation of
appropriate systems of accountability and controls

Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024

IMT Strategic Be Digital

Goals 2021-2023
1 In meeting the needs of DAFM customers and workforce, IMT will seek to exploit opportunities for digital
transformation, to enhance the customer’s user experience and will put in place the appropriate structures to
support the agri-food sector and facilitate working in a secure manner from any location

Invest in our People

We will work with stakeholders (such as the OGCIO) to ensure provision of a highly-skilled, agile workforce

2 committed to providing the technological solutions that will underpin the wide-ranging operations of the
Department. We will support the continuing professional development of our IT staff through mentoring, coaching
and formal training

Be Agile

3 Work in partnership across DAFM to enable the organisation to be more adaptive, creative and resilient in dealing
with complexity, uncertainty and change leading to improved outcomes and enabling rapid response to ever
changing customer demands

Leverage our Data

4 IMT will endeavour, whilst respecting GDPR obligations, to provide high quality information to support evidence-
based decision making and accountability

5
Technology – use strategic technologies to evaluate and innovate
IMT will continue to identify, source and maximise opportunities offered by innovative technologies capable of
meeting current and future business and operational needs of the Department

Improved Governance

6 IMT will ensure that investments are aligned with and delivered in accordance with the Department’s Strategic
Objectives by defining organisational structures, processes, roles and
responsibilities
Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024
 IMT Contribution to Business Success
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Be Digital Invest in our People Be Agile Leverage our Data Technology Improved Governance

• Continue to build digital • In addition to DAFM
services that are customer recruitment channels, we
centric will collaborate with OGCIO
and other organisations to
• Focus on a Digital continue to build DAFM IMT
Transformation agenda capability in line with the
Civil Service ICT HR
• Further exploit Professionalisation Strategy
opportunities to implement
• Review DAFM roles and skill
digital solutions across the
wide-ranging scope of sets on an ongoing basis to
DAFM business activities in ensure the organisation has
alignment with Public the necessary capabilities
Sector ICT Strategies and resources to meet
future challenges
• Embrace the digitisation of • Ongoing investment in Data • Continue to adopt new and • Ensure IT investments are
information Analytics capabilities to innovative technologies that aligned with and delivered
enhance corporate decision enhance customer in accordance with the
• Further explore making experience Department’s Strategic
technologies to enhance objectives by defining
technical agility and enable • Leverage data to assist in • Enable Technical agility organisational structures,
DAFM to be more efficient the delivery of the targets through software processes, leadership, roles
and dynamic set out in the Programme modernisation of our and responsibilities
for Government and related existing strategic
• Enable access to agri-food sector strategic platforms. • Enhance governance
information from anywhere goals structures across the
• Extend adoption of Green IT organisation
• Advance the embracement • Ongoing compliance to the technology to reduce the
of agile development to relevant EU and National impact on the environment • Monitor adherence to
ensure business agility and Data related legislations Information Security
adapt to changing through regulations and
requirements standards (such as GDPR
and ISO 27001 Information
• Building Business Security Standard)
Architecture by breaking
down organisational silos

NAME OR LOGO
Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024
 Section 3 – Governance

Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024

 Guiding Principles

01 02 03 04 05 06 07
Strategic Governance and Standardised Green IT Creativity Risk Value for
Focus Compliance Services Management Money
IMT systems IMT adheres to IMT centrally IMT will adopt IMT seeks to use IMT manages risk IMT follows OGP
development is best practice governs its initiatives that innovative in line with the and DPER
driven by and governance and architecture and reduce energy methods and Department’s Risk guidance on
aligned to Information development consumption and technologies to Management procurement and
customer Security standards methodologies to manage our support business methodology finance
expectations and ensure maximum environmental objectives
business efficiency and re- technology
objectives to use of assets and footprint
deliver the best take
services environmental
impact into
account

Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024

 RISK MITIGATION
1. Dependency on the skills of external contractors to IMT will invest in staff development in order to meet
support DAFM’s IMT technologies the Department’s evolving requirements and will
operate in line with central Government guidelines in
relation to vendor management and competitive
procurement procedures

2. Difficulty in attracting suitably qualified resources

coupled with loss of experienced DAFM IMT staff
due to retirement and promotion may lead to IMT
capability issues
Identify key roles and skills required, implement
targeted recruitment campaigns, implement succession
planning and continuous professional development of
staff

3. The significant number of staff working remotely

and the implications in terms of cyber security and
Provide continual information security awareness to all
staff and provide robust and secure remote access

IMT Risks
connectivity solutions

4. IT legacy systems In line with the Enterprise Architecture Modernisation

and Issues
Project IMT will build new systems using innovative
technological solutions and agree a migration pathway
for the legacy systems

5. IMT’s capacity to maintain and continually improve

digital service offerings
IMT will collaborate with business stakeholders to
provide optimum digital services based on business
priorities

6. Risk of cyber attacks/threats IMT will continually review its security measures in line
with best practice and increase the Information
Security Awareness campaigns

7. Capability of IMT to respond in the event of threats IMT will put in place scalable and flexible IT solutions
to the Agri-Food industry which will be digital, agile and readily adapted to meet
changing DAFM business requirements

Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024

 IMT Governance Structure
DECISION DOMAIN ACCOUNTABLE RESPONSIBLE IMPLEMENTER INFORMED

PMO
STRATEGY ITSC* CIO MB/OGCIO
IMT SENIOR MANAGEMENT

BUSINESS DAFM SENIOR

PROCESSES DAFM SENIOR MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT IMT STAFF AND SYSTEMS ITSC/MB

INVESTMENTS AND MANAGEMENT BOARD CIO CIO AND IMT FINANCE DPER/MB
BENEFITS DIVISION

ENTERPRISE IMT TECHNICAL STAFF

ARCHITECTURE CIO ARCHITECTURE GROUP EXTERNAL EXPERTISE AND ITSC/OGCIO
ADVICE

IMT SENIOR
RISK MANAGEMENT/PROJECT PROJECT MANAGER PROJECT TEAMS PROJECT BOARD/MB
BOARDS

SOURCING CIO IMT SENIOR OGCIO/PAS/HR/IMT ITSC/MB

MANAGEMENT

CIO = Chief Information Officer; MB = Management Board; IMT = Information Management and Technology; ITSC = Information Technology Steering Committee; PMO = Programme
Management Office; OGCIO = Office of the Government Chief Information Officer; PAS = Public Appointments Service; HR = Human Resources; DPER = Department of Public Expenditure &
Reform
*The Information Technology Steering Committee (ITSC) is a senior management board that approves, monitors
and prioritises on-going programmes, takes responsibility for new initiatives, provides insight on long-term
strategies and ensures business objectives are being appropriately addressed
Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024
 Key Performance Indicators
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Digital Business Invest in our People Be Agile Leverage our Data Technology Improved Governance

• The number of digital • IMT roles and skill sets
services offered to our
customers and staff by
exploiting Innovation
Technology
• Remove all paper-based
forms internally to increase •
value add tasks and provide
staff efficiencies for the
Department
• Introduce IMT specific
identified to ensure the
organisation has the
necessary capabilities and
resources to meet future
challenges
The number of staff
recruited from various
channels (such as,
Apprenticeship Programme, • Drive further adoption of
Internship Programme and
specialised OGCIO run ICT
campaigns)
staffing initiatives (such as,
Professional Development
and a Mentoring
Programme)
• Accelerate business product • Establish a corporate-wide • Continue to adopt new and • Ongoing adherence to
development and Logical Data Warehouse and innovative technologies that Information Security
deployment with Business Intelligence (BI) are aligned with customer regulations and standards
DevSecOps platform expectations and business (such as GDPR and ISO
requirements 27001 Information Security
• Quicker response times to • The utilisation of BI across Standard)
delivering systems in times the Department to assist • Increase adoption of Green
of crisis (such as, national with strategic decision- IT technology and avail of • Enhance the governance
disease outbreak) making processes cloud-based solutions (in processes to ensure ICT
line with OGCIO guidelines) investments are aligned
• Continue to leverage data with business priorities
services-based enterprise (from internal and external
architecture sources) to assist in the
delivery of the targets set
• Redesign applications to out in the Programme for
create lighter, flexible and Government and related
re-useable systems agri-food sector strategic
goals
• Enhance technical supports
to achieve greater
collaboration and sharing of
ICT assets

NAME OR LOGO
Information Management and Technology Strategy | 2021-2024
 Major Achievements 2017-2020
32 Million Forestry Premium
Animal Movements Applications Data Analytics Unit
Digitally tracked Over 40,000 WebEx Meetings
Created
2019-2020 Forestry Online Licence
Viewer launched in 2020
100% All major DAFM
Animal Online Registration
Tags issued 2019-2020
online Schemes now DAFM provides ICT 192
Shared Services for
12.8 Million 100% Webinars Hosted 2020
Online 7 16,130
other Govt Depts and Registrants
13 Million Agencies
Animal Disease €252 Million ICT capability 122 19
Tests Performed
BEEP 2020 paid to implemented Open
2019-2020 Open Datasets
54,000 for full Datasets
published on
24,500 Forestry Premium Remote Working published
Farmers paid Applicants with over datacatalogue.gov.ie
Fishing Vessel experience
Positions Tracked €41 Million €1.6 Billion New CRM 10,000 Data Sharing with Public Sector
2019- 2020 Annual views bodies and EU
System
Agri-Scheme Mobile Applications
9.8 Million Payments implemented to
incl.
manage Excess
1.5 Million Calf Registration App
Over 300,000 Sheep Welfare Customer’s
implemented
Fisheries Declarations €16 Million Interactions LPIS Parcels
digitally processed covering over
BDGP I & II 2020
Paid to over Enterprise
annually
18,000 Architecture Group 5.6 Million
22,400 Farmers Established Ha Cyber
ish Quotas digitally managed
annually
Farmers paid
SMS issued by DAFM Security
€37.3 to registered customers
Unit Created
196,060 tonnes Million 6 million