Digitalising public services
As part of the Better Public Services strategy, in 2025, the State delivered several significant digital initiatives across government and has plans to continue at this pace.
The Better Public Services Transformation Showcase 2025-2026 highlights the major digital transformation achievements of 2025 and the Government’s priorities for the following year.
The most substantial initiative delivered in 2025 was the HSE Health app, which was launched in February 2025.
The app allows people to manage their personal health information and access information on health, wellbeing, and services from their phone.
Further developments are planned for 2026, including giving patients access to their scans and test results, providing support for undertaking physical activity.
Additionally, there are plans for the app to allow patients check waiting times for scheduled tests or treatment, get support and advice on living with a chronic condition, and read information before and after appointments.
The HSE made significant progress elsewhere, with the establishment of an AI and Automation Centre of Excellence one of its key achievements.
This provides expertise, governance, and support to staff for the responsible adoption of AI across the healthcare system to improve services while ensuring patients and their data are protected.
The virtual care system, which provides care at home using online tools, advanced significantly in 2025.
Video appointments, remote health monitoring, and therapies focusing on preventative care and personalised treatment are all used to ensure safe, high-quality care at home.
Two 25-bed virtual wards were launched in 2024 and by the end of 2025, over 1,500 patients had been admitted to these wards which equates to around 13,800 virtual bed days.
This system is expanding with these sites increasing their capacity to 40 beds and there is also now an operational virtual ward site in each of the State’s six health regions.
In 2026, the virtual ward system will continue to increase in size and expand clinical pathways to provide for maximum bed capacity.
Additional projects advanced in 2025 include AI tools for analysing acute stroke imagery and improving radiology diagnostic workflows.
The report also highlights plans for a suite of AI learning resources to support national and regional adoption and compliance to be introduced in 2026.
Beyond healthcare, digitalisation in government in 2025 occurred across the country with the ePlanning Portal implemented in 30 of the 31 local authorities.
This national system for submission and management portal is designed to streamline the application process to improve consistency and reduce the administrative burden.
The Government also published guidance on AI use in schools to help teachers and principals use AI safely and effectively to enhance learning while also protecting student wellbeing, data privacy, and academic integrity.
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage also developed its first digital strategy and will establish the governance structures to deliver this strategy’s objectives in 2026.
