Relaunch of Cork City Council's website

On December 3rd 2004, the Lord Mayor, Cllr. Seán Martin, officially launched the redevelopment of the Cork City Council website www.corkcity.ie in City Hall. 

 Photographed at the Relaunch of the Cork City Council website were from left to right:

Al Devine, IS Department, Cork City Council, Robin O'Sullivan, President of the Chamber of Commerce, Ruth Buckley, Head of Information Systems, Cork City Council, The Lord Mayor, Cllr. Seán Martin, Eileen O'Leary, IS Department, Cork City Council, Frank Hanley, President of the Cork Business Association and Ger Desmond, IS Department, Cork City Council  

This feature gives a brief outline of the project and the reasons for its undertaking. Cork City Council website was originally developed in 1998 as an Internet presence for the Council to display information on events and services. Web technologies have moved on rapidly since the development of the site and it was decided to redevelop the site in 2004 based upon the following primary considerations. 

• Improve Accessibility for all citizens.
• A broader range of online services including payments and enquiries.
• Improved content with in excess of 350 web pages and 400 documents.
• Content Management tool to allow departments directly update to the site.
• Improved professional web presence in time for Cork 2005.
• Skills to develop and enhance web-site in-house.
• Restructure of the site design to make it more Citizen Centric.
• A consistent and easy to use navigation through this vast site.

 Ruth Buckley, Head of Information Systems, Cork City Council, speaking at the Relaunch of the Cork City Council's website, photographed with the Lord Mayor, Cllr. Seán Martin, in the Council Chambers, City Hall.

The website has been redeveloped internally by members of the I.S. staff with graphical consultation from Eclipse Internet Services. The site replaced the old frame based technology with cascading stylesheets and uses tagging methodology to allow for use with screen readers. We have consciously avoided using technologies such as popup windows and scrolling text, which may look well on a site, but cause serious problems for the visually disabled. During the development of the site staff undertook training on disability concerns for web development and have liaised with the National Disability Authority in its design. We have also drafted a disability roadmap for the site, which outlines that this site is only the initial step in improving the site’s accessibility.  

Electronic Government is important to Cork City Council and this redeveloped site is an important step in our eGovernment strategy. The site has the following features in the area on electronic government. 

• Online payment facilities for Pay Parking Fines and Refuse Charges.
• Online Enquiries on the Planning and Electoral Register.
• All Council forms available for downloading on the site.
• Online library catalogue.
• Social inclusion measures audit.
• Email contact forms for all services.
• In excess of 400 downloadable documents including Development plan, Corporate plan etc.

 It is intended to increase these services in 2005 to include more payment and enquiry facilities and online consultations.  

Gerard Desmond
Information Systems Department

From left to right: Liam Ronayne, City Librarian, John Ryan, Chief Fire Officer, Frank Hanley, President of the Cork Business Association, Pat Ledwidge, Director of Service, Community and Enterprise Directorate, Ruth Buckley, Head of Information Systems, The Lord Mayor, Cllr. Seán Martin, Robin O'Sullivan, President of the Chamber of Commerce, Finbar Allison, Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs Directorate and Jerry Aherne, Cork City Fire Brigade.

Eileen O'Leary, IS Department, Cork City Council, The Lord Mayor, Cllr. Seán Martin, and Gerard Desmond, IS Department, Cork City Council, photographed at the relaunch of Cork City Councils website.

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