This chapter examines individual’s contact with public authorities and public services over the internet. The data was collected in the first two quarters of 2021 and so was collected at a time when varying COVID-19 measures would have been in place, including the closure of some public authority offices with engagement consequently moving to online or telephone interaction.
Respondents were asked about the type of e-Government service that they accessed online. Nearly seven in ten (68%) internet users obtained information from public authorities’/public services’ websites or apps. Almost half (49%) of internet users reported downloading/printing official forms, while two thirds (66%) submitted forms online. See Table 5.1.
Note that more than one option could be selected by respondents.
Across all eGovernment services covered by the survey, more males than females use the online services of public authorities and public services. Seven in ten (70%) males obtained information from public authorities’/public services’ websites or app, compared with 65% of females. With regard to downloading/printing official forms, over half (51%) of males used this online service, compared with 48% of females. Two thirds (67%) of males submitted completed forms online compared with 65% of females. See Table 5.1 and Figure 5.2.
| Male | Female | |
| Obtaining information from websites or apps | 70 | 65 |
| Downloading/printing official forms | 51 | 48 |
| Submitting completed forms online | 67 | 65 |
With regard to obtaining information from the online platforms of public authorities and public services, older age groups were more likely to carry out this activity – 73% of persons aged 30 to 44 years, and 70% of persons in the 45 to 59 years age group obtained information from eGovernment platforms in this way, as did nearly two thirds (64%) of internet users aged 60 to 74 years. This compares with 46% of internet users aged between 16 and 29 years who carried out this activity online. However, three quarters (75%) of this age group submitted completed forms online. See Table 5.1 and Figure 5.2.
There was a high uptake of eGovernment services amongst older persons, 60 to 74 year olds. Nearly seven in ten (69%) submitted completed forms online, while 64% obtained information from public authorities and services online platforms, and nearly half (48%) of this age group downloaded or printed official forms. See Table 5.1 and Figure 5.2.
| 16-29 | 30-44 | 45-59 | 60-74 | |
| Obtaining information from websites or apps | 46 | 73 | 70 | 64 |
| Downloading/printing official forms | 53 | 49 | 50 | 48 |
| Submitting completed forms online | 75 | 62 | 66 | 69 |
Of internet users who did not submit completed forms online, by far the most prevalent reason for not doing so was that they did not need to submit official forms, cited by over seven in ten (71%) respondents. Just 2% of respondents (who did not submit any completed online forms) cited lack of skills or knowledge, while a further 2% said that another person did it on their behalf. See Table 5.2.
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