Ministers to highlight importance of digital inclusion at British-Irish Council on Isle of Man

27 Nov 2014 01:35 PM

First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, and Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, Lesley Griffiths, will today travel to the Isle of Man to participate in the 23rd British-Irish Council (BIC) Summit.

The focus of this year’s Council is digital inclusion and there will also be a general discussion on the economy.

The meeting will be attended by leaders and ministers from the eight BIC Member Administrations. The Members of the British-Irish Council are the Irish and UK Government, together with the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and the Crown Dependencies of the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey.

The British-Irish Council acts as a forum for exchanging information and for discussing, consulting and co-operating on matters of mutual interest within the Council's respective administrations.

Speaking ahead of the BIC Summit First Minister Carwyn Jones said: “These summits provide a great opportunity for governments to come together to discuss the important issues of the day.

“As technology becomes an ever present and encompassing part of our modern lives it’s important that our most digitally excluded groups in society are able to benefit from being online.

“In Wales we have a strong record of investing in digital inclusion activities across communities to ensure that people not only have access to the latest technologies but they also know how to get the most out of them.

“I look forward to discussing our good work in this area with the other members of the Council.”

The Minister with responsibility for digital inclusion Lesley Griffiths said: “We are making good progress in tackling digital exclusion here in Wales.

“Through our innovative Communities 2.0 programme, which is part European funded, we have dedicated £22 million over six years to support the most digitally excluded groups in society. Older and disabled people, those living in social housing and the unemployed are all benefitting.

“Communities 2.0 helps people overcome barriers and builds their confidence. I am extremely pleased it has helped over 52,000 people across Wales to use digital technologies to enhance their lives.

“I look forward to sharing our positive experiences and learning lessons from other governments so we can do more in this important area.”