Transform Gov - the digital government podcast

Digital identity is often talked about — but rarely understood in practical terms.

In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Marie Wallace, Managing Director and Global Lead for Digital Identities at Accenture, about what is broken in how we prove who we are today — and what is changing.

From repeatedly filling out forms to sharing far more personal data than necessary, Marie explains why current identity systems are no longer fit for purpose — and how digital wallets and selective data sharing could transform how citizens access services.

This conversation focuses on:
Why identity systems are fragmented and inefficient
How digital wallets give citizens more control over their data
What “selective sharing” actually looks like in practice
How trust is changing in a digital world
The risks if identity systems are implemented badly

In Part 2 we explore the economic impact and what this means for Ireland.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to digital identity and control of data
01:12 What digital identity actually means (and why it’s broken)
02:14 Why sharing too much data is a problem
03:02 Marie’s background in AI and data privacy
04:07 Why centralised data creates risk
06:18 AI, deepfakes and the growing identity challenge
07:50 Designing better identity into public services
09:11 Why identity isn’t reusable today
10:02 Public concern around biometrics and data
11:09 Breaking down silos between public and private services
12:27 The real problem: forms, friction and delays
13:26 What governments need to build (trust + wallets)
14:57 Trust frameworks and verification explained
16:27 EU regulation and what happens next
17:47 Who owns identity in this model
19:13 Efficiency and cost impact (part 2)
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In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey sits down with Malcolm Byrne TD, Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence, to unpack what has actually changed — and why the pace of change is now the real issue.

From courts using AI for real-time translation… to Revenue analysing thousands of tax codes… to the uncomfortable truth that other countries are already moving faster — this is not a future conversation. It’s happening now.

And the question is simple: are we ready?
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COVID changed how people engage with online services — permanently.

The organisations that adapted are now seeing better engagement, better access, better outcomes.

The rest are still catching up.

In this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Aoife Prendergast of Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), whose team won the Universal Design category at the Ireland eGovernment Awards 2025.

What they discovered is something every CIO, digital leader, and public service provider needs to hear:

People have changed.

Since COVID, expectations have shifted:
always-on
bite-sized
easy to use

Most services haven’t caught up.

Aoife’s team did.

They spotted the gap, redesigned using Universal Design, boosted engagement — and unlocked new funding and global collaboration.

This isn’t compliance.

It’s whether your service gets used at all.

Key Topics
Universal Design in public services
Digital transformation in higher education
Public sector accessibility strategy
Citizen engagement post-COVID
Service design and UX in government
Inclusive digital services Ireland
eGovernment Awards Ireland
TUS (Technological University of the Shannon)
Accessibility vs usability

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This is not a tech story.
This is a human story.

Before this system existed, vulnerable children could wait weeks for access to childcare — stuck in a maze of emails, forms, and approvals.
Now? Minutes.

On this episode of Transform Gov, Maeve Kneafsey speaks with Ruth Shortall (POBAL) and Ciarán Madden (Department of Children) about the system that:
Cut waiting times from 3 weeks to minutes
Connected multiple agencies into one seamless flow
Removed friction for frontline workers under pressure
And quietly transformed outcomes for families at critical moments

This is what real digital transformation looks like.
Not flashy.
Not theoretical.
But life-changing.
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What if a city already knew your child was starting school — and simply sent you a text asking if you agreed with the proposed school?
That already happens in Helsinki.

In this episode of Transform Gov, infrastructure expert Alice Charles from Arup explains how some cities are using data, digital twins and AI to plan transport, housing and infrastructure far more intelligently.

You will hear:
How Helsinki predicts school demand using data
Why digital twins allow cities to test developments instantly
Why surveys often get transport data wrong
How Copenhagen paid for its metro by building housing around stations
Why Dublin sometimes loses international meetings to cities with better transport
How electricity data can reveal vacant homes

This conversation shows how data is quietly changing how cities function.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:05 Helsinki’s predictive public services
04:00 Digital twins explained
05:30 Why visual planning wins public support
06:30 AI and planning systems
08:40 Human intelligence vs AI
11:10 Why surveys fail
12:10 Copenhagen’s real cycling data
15:30 MetroLink and global infrastructure firms
17:30 Metro funding through housing
20:40 Why Dublin loses business to Amsterdam
23:30 All-island infrastructure planning
26:00 Finding vacant homes using electricity data

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