Transform Gov - the digital government podcast

Ireland is preparing radical moves to accelerate housing delivery. But what if the real breakthrough doesn’t come from policy — but from technology? In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey meets Gavin Duffy , Founder & CEO of RealSim , the Irish company building ultra-accurate 3D digital twins of real towns, cities, and infrastructure. Gavin explains how immersive planning tools can s...

Childhood movement skills — hopping, skipping, throwing, catching — have collapsed globally. But one Irish spin-out is changing that story. Dr Jamie McGann, co-founder of MoveAhead , joins Maeve Kneafsey on Transform Gov to reveal how his Dublin-based team built the world’s largest dataset of children’s movement , and how it’s now driving apps, curricula, and classrooms from Ireland to China. In t...

Can AI make decisions, not just suggestions? Professor Alan Smeaton — DCU researcher, Government AI Advisory Council member and builder of Ireland’s first AI teaching assistant — explains what agentic AI really means and why Estonia is blazing ahead and already using it in classrooms. He tells host Maeve Kneafsey why Ireland can’t afford to wait, how data can save citizens money, and why AI litera...

From leading roles in the London 2012 Olympics to advising governments on next-generation infrastructure, Huda As’ad of Accenture believes we’re entering a new golden age — where AI, data, and digital twins redefine how nations build, maintain, and sustain public infrastructure. In this episode of Transform Gov , she explains how technology can cut waste, enhance safety, and build public trust in...

From the London Olympics to Ireland’s National Development Plan — Huda As’ad, Managing Director for Capital Projects & Infrastructure at Accenture, shares how data, AI, and digital twins are reshaping how nations build and maintain public assets. Learn how predictive analytics is saving 25% on maintenance costs, how transparency builds trust, and why “fail fast, learn fast” is the new rule for...

A conversation with one of the Ireland’s and UK's most influential CIOs on people-first transformation, AI in action, and why governance makes or breaks digital change. Richard Corbridge has led some of the biggest digital transformations in health, government and retail — from Ireland’s HSE and the NHS to Boots, the UK’s Department for Work & Pensions, and now property giant Segro. In this ep...

When the National Broadband Plan reached Longford, Danny Lynch and his team turned a rural challenge into a digital revolution. Partnering with Microsoft and Ericsson, they introduced hundreds of schoolchildren to coding, built new digital career pathways, and helped transform Longford into a hub of opportunity. Discover how a small county became a big player in Ireland’s public-sector digital tra...

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 framewor...

Maeve Kneafsey talks to Marianne Cassidy (DPER) about Ireland’s Digital Public Service Plan to 2030. 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...

🎧 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 in...

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 promis...

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 p...

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 intellig...

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 outpu...

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...

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 nationa...

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 se...

Maeve Kneafsey talks with Damien McCallion, Deputy CEO and CTO of the HSE, about what digital transformation really takes — in the middle of complexity, crisis, and culture. From checklists to cloud systems, and from relationship-building to region-wide reform, this is a masterclass for anyone trying to lead change in the public sector. Whether you're in housing, justice, education or health — thi...

In this episode of Transform Gov , Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Alan Browne, CEO and co-founder of Soarvo , about how their cloud-based geospatial AI platform is helping governments and local authorities turn complex drone, laser, and video data into fast, accurate infrastructure decisions. Alan shares a game-changing case study with National Highways UK , where Soarvo’s AI and augmented reality pla...

In this episode of Transform Gov , host Maeve Kneafsey sits down with Dr. Robert Ross, Senior Lecturer at Technological University Dublin and lead researcher with the ADAPT Centre, to explore how public bodies can embrace generative AI — safely, strategically, and with purpose. Robert shares the inside story of the GenAI Lab , a groundbreaking partnership between ADAPT and Dublin City Council , de...

Transform Gov delves into the emotive and urgent issue of the planning process and the very exciting potential provided by digital technologies. RIAI president, Seán Mahon looks at the future of city planning. We explored how digital twins and 3D modeling are transforming Ireland’s planning process, making it more efficient, transparent, and citizen-focused. Seán broke down how these innovations n...

Wendy Walsh, Accenture Ireland’s Talent and Organisation Lead, returns for Part 2 on Transform Gov to explore the evolving relationship between people and AI in the public sector. From onboarding bots to research agents and Copilot-enabled teamwork, this episode is packed with practical insights for future-ready leaders. You’ll hear: How GenAI and agentic AI are transforming frontline public secto...

Wendy Walsh, Accenture Ireland, shares practical insights on where public sector transformation efforts stumble—and how to turn things around   What you’ll learn: - How to make it work - Essential trust and transparency  - Influencers and change champions as a secret weapon   Listen now and subscribe for future Transform Gov episodes www.digitalgovawards.com   Public sector, di...

With thanks to Accenture, Maeve Kneafsey is joined by Bryan Rich for part 2 of how GenAI is being used in governments across the globe. Bryan shares incredible insights into how the day-to day-lives of every public sector employee will change. #PublicsectorInnovation #DigitalTransformation #PublicService #GenAI #Accenture Transform Gov with Maeve Kneafsey and Bryan Rich www.digitalgovawards.com/po...

Discover how governments globally are leveraging Generative AI to dramatically enhance citizen services, streamline complex processes, and upgrade legacy IT systems. Bryan Rich, Accenture's Global AI Leader for Public Sector, Defense, and Health, reveals real-world examples and the strategic thinking needed for successful AI integration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.