Ireland’s public service transformation agenda will take centre stage on Friday 13 November 2026, with a programme spanning artificial intelligence, healthcare innovation, digital inclusion, cybersecurity, public trust and collaborative service design. Public Service Transformation Week brings together public bodies, staff and policy professionals to examine how practical innovation can improve services for people and communities.
Published by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation on 14 October 2026, the schedule includes in-person, online and hybrid sessions involving the Health Service Executive (HSE), the Department of the Taoiseach, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), Pobal, TU Dublin, Dublin City University and local authorities.
Public Service Transformation Week programme
The day begins with an HSE Mid West innovation event at University Hospital Limerick. Running from 9am to 2.30pm, the session will highlight the HSE Spark Innovation Programme, funding opportunities and local supports for developing and testing healthcare projects.
A separate Spark Connect workshop for the West Galway CAMHS team will focus on mapping current services, identifying challenges, refining ideas and planning practical next steps. The workshop demonstrates how co-design can help public services move from identifying problems to developing workable solutions.
AI and inclusive digital transformation
Several sessions will examine the opportunities and responsibilities associated with AI in public services. The Age-Friendly AI webinar, led by TU Dublin and the ADAPT Centre at DCU, will explore how older people’s experiences and concerns can shape AI development, deployment and governance.
The programme will also include a Pobal session on applying AI to real operational challenges. Topics include AI agents, knowledge assistants, information management and programme delivery, with a focus on building confidence and capability through structured experimentation.
Trust, co-design and better public services
A webinar involving the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Justice, the Department of Health, the Department of Education and Youth, and other public bodies will consider how trust and stronger relationships can improve outcomes for individuals, families and communities.
The HSE will separately present its Patient Public Partnership Advisory Group, showing how patients and public partners helped shape terms of reference, working arrangements and reporting processes. The session is designed to demonstrate how meaningful participation can influence service development.
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Transport, local innovation and public confidence
The Department of Transport will present the Greenways website, a central resource for routes, facilities, attractions and visitor information across Ireland’s greenway network. The session will outline the collaborative design and development process behind the platform.
Clare County Council will host an Innovation Marketplace, allowing staff to share digital and innovation projects that could be replicated elsewhere within the organisation. Later, the CSO will discuss its 2025 Trust Survey, covering interpersonal trust, confidence in institutions, satisfaction with public services, political participation and views on government use of AI.
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Wellbeing and cybersecurity awareness
The Civil Service Employee Assistance Service will launch the Calm Corner, a digital wellbeing space featuring recorded meditations and resources intended to help staff pause, recharge and refocus during the working day.
The HSE Technology & Transformation team will also share a cybersecurity awareness video featuring Peter Connolly, Deputy Chief Information Security Officer. The contribution will underline the importance of cyber awareness across public service organisations.
Why the programme matters
Public Service Transformation Week reflects a broad approach to modernising government. It connects innovation funding, inclusive AI, healthcare participation, public trust, transport information, staff wellbeing and cybersecurity rather than treating digital change as a purely technical exercise.
For public bodies, the central takeaway is practical: better services depend on collaboration, evidence, public participation and responsible technology. Ireland’s transformation programme will be strongest when innovation remains focused on real needs and measurable improvements.
Article/Image Courtesy: gov.ie
