BT IRELAND HAS signed a €9 million contract with the Department of Social Protection.

The major contract to provide a nationwide IT network was awarded to BT Ireland “because of its ability to deliver more bandwidth to multiple locations at a market-leading price”.

The five-year contract is worth approximately €9 million.

The Department’s modernisation programme is seeking to improve efficiency in 208 locations across the country.

The new network will also be a key enabler for the major transformation project which the Department is undertaking by integrating the Community Welfare Service from the HSE and the Employment and Community Employment Services from FAS into its organisation.

With just under half of its 5,200 staff employed in local offices, and a further 2,000 staff joining the Department,  wide area connectivity is business-critical for the government body.

BT is responsible for all aspects of project implementation and will also provide bespoke training to the Department’s Information Services team.

Niall Barry, the Department’s CIO, said:

The increased capacity that BT gives the Department allows us to deploy in-house developed enhancements to core business applications, ensuring a more efficient service is provided for our customers. The new network will also facilitate further cost savings as the Department moves its telephone services onto the data network.

To serve the requirements of this contract, BT Ireland will be making a multi-million euro investment in its network infrastructure.

BT Ireland employs close to 3,000 people on the island of Ireland.