eParliament

Thinking about Parliament on the Net

Houses of the Oireachtas main Web site

Posted by bollinsl on 28 August 2008

The original Houses Web site was a Lotus Notes bases system, used in 1996.
The original banner design is available here.
In 1997 a redesigned Web site was launched using FrontPage:
http://www.gov.ie/oireachtas/old-default.htm

Click here to see a sample frame based page.

Ths site was frame based see http://www.gov.ie/debates/frame.htm
In 2003, a new design was implemented, removing frames, and a simple CMS was purchased for Oireachtas.ie . The design was implemented across all sites.
  • This is the Houses’ main Web site, and contains:
    • general infomation
    • This Week in the Houses of the Oireachtas
    • Order Papers and Parliamentary Questions
    • Committees (including recent unrevised debates)
    • Legislative Information (Bills and Acts and some amendment lists 1997 —)
    • Members of both Houses
  • A search engine is included which also covers current debates (debates.oireachtas.ie)

Fusio was the successful bidder. A number of designs were submitted, and the design below was selected.

The site is based on a CMS, and pages are available as:

The navigation and pages can be in English and Irish.
http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?UserLang=GA&DocID=9802&&CatID=60

PDF and Word pages etc. can eb published, and an abstract will appear, with links to the readers, befor the file is downloaded. for example:
http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/bills28/bills/2008/4208/b4208S.pdf

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Oireachtas Web site – domain names

Posted by bollinsl on 28 August 2008

The main Oireachtas Web site is available at:

http://www.oireachtas.ie/ViewDoc.asp?fn=/home.asp

Subdomains:

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/Main.aspx

http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/index.html

http://acts.oireachtas.ie/ and http://achtanna.oireachtas.ie/

http://acts2.oireachtas.ie/ and http://achtanna2.oireachtas.ie/

http://broadband.oireachtas.ie/

http://econsultation.oireachtas.ie 

other domain names:

ACHTANNA.IE
ACTS.IE
cathaoirleach.com
CATHAOIRLEACH.IE
cathaoirleach.net
cathaoirleach.org
ceanncomhairle.com
CEANNCOMHAIRLE.IE
ceanncomhairle.net
ceanncomhairle.org
DAIL.IE
DAILEIREANN.IE
daileireann.net
daileireann.org
echamber.ie
econsultation.ie
edemocracy.ie
eparliament.ie
DEPUTIES.IE
feileoireachtais.ie
HOUSESOFTHEOIREACHTAS.IE
IRISHPARLIAMENT.IE
irishparliament.net
irishparliament.org
law4u.ie
LEINSTERHOUSE.IE
OIR.IE
oireachtasfamilyday.ie
oireachtasfestival.ie
oireachtas.net
oireachtas.org
PARLIAMENT.IE
RANNOGANAISTRIUCHAIN.IE
SEANAD.IE
seanad.net
seanad.org
seanadcount.ie
SEANADEIREANN.IE
seanadeireann.net
seanadeireann.org
SENATE.IE
SENATORS.IE
urlaw.ie
euaffairs.ie
europeaffairs.ie
europeanaffairs.ie
europeat50.ie
europeatfifty.ie
europeday.ie

oireachtas.eu
oir.eu
dail.eu
daileireann.eu
seanad.eu
seanadeireann.eu
irishparliament.eu
leinsterhouse.eu

Posted in Ireland, Oireachtas Web site, Parliament on the Web | Leave a Comment »

Oireachtas On-line Webcast Archives

Posted by bollinsl on 28 August 2008

The Dail and Seanad are Webcast live, and the recordings since 26 January 2008 are archived on two on-line video archive servers.

A simple on-line tool is available which generates XML links to the video segments based on the following inputs:

  • Forum (Dáil | Seanad)
  • Date
  • Start time
  • End time

Links can be generated to any part of the debates using this tool.

For example:

http://web.oirarcone.heanet.ie/asx.aspx?Channel=Seanad&Date=20080221&Start=00:04:09.000&Duration=00:00:00.000

Examples are available on the

pages. The archive may be played embedded in the page, or as a stand alone player.

It is also possible to download the complete wmv video files, but they are around 6 GB for a days sitting.

The Oireachtas has two 5.5 TB servers (one is a backup), and given that there are 100 sitting days for each house a year, the storage requirement amounts to:  6 GB * 100 days * 2 houses = 1.6 TB per annum, or in other words, we have enough storage for over four years.

Posted in Ireland, Oireachtas TV, Oireachtas Web site, Parliament on the Web | Leave a Comment »

Order Papers and Questions Papers on-line

Posted by bollinsl on 27 August 2008

The Dáil and Seanad Order Papers and the Dáil Questions Papers are published on this page on the Houses of the Oireachtas Web site before 06.00 every sitting day.

The Order Papers are usually published as PDF files, although the system can handle MS Word, RTF and HTML versions. The PDF files include bookmarks to the various sections of the documents, e.g. questions to the various Ministers. Supplementary order papers are also published when required.

Using the simple interface, by entering a date, the order papers for the corresponding week are displayed.

Archives back to April 2003 are available on-line.

The order papers page is available at:
http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/op/default.asp

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Oireachtas TV available on the Internet (MPEG2 IPTV)

Posted by bollinsl on 11 August 2008

Oireachtas TV is available on the Internet and on educational networks as MPEG2 IPTV.

The television service is available as IPTV MPEG2 at 4 MBit/sec per channel, which gives a very good quality 16:9 wide screen feed.

The SDI feed from the Broadcasting Unit is encoded as MPEG2. The following live feeds are available on the Internet (instructions for a VLC media player):

  • Dáil Éireann (House) feed:
    • select “UDP/RTP Multicast”
    • enter 233.4.189.33 as the IP address
    • enter 1234 as the port number
    • Click “OK”.
  • Seanad (Senate) feed:
    • select “UDP/RTP Multicast”
    • enter 233.4.189.34 as the IP address
    • enter 1234 as the port number
    • Click “OK”.

Users may receive these channels free of charge once they are connected to a network which is peered with HEAnet, and has a 10 MBit/sec or faster connection, provided by a carrier which is capable to carrying multicast traffic. In Ireland, one commercial Internet service provider, Magnet Networks, is peered with HEAnet, and access to the Oireachtas multicast IPTV service was successfully implemented in a Government Department using a connection to Magnet Networks.

Multicasting IP is used, so there is no impact on the bandwidth of users networks or Internet connections no matter how many users are watching the channels. 

The office may supply the proposed parliamentary channel, a playback channel, and a multiscreen channel showing the Dáil, Seanad and four committee rooms on one screen, as additional channels.

Users can watch the television feeds using a standard television via a set top box and a SCART cable, or on a PC.

The Oireachtas Live Webcasting service is provided in association with HEAnet, Ireland’s Educational are Research Network.

The MPEG2 Streams are provided to several networks including the following:

  • Educational and Research Networks
    • HEAnet (Ireland)
    • JANET (UK) 2 * 1 GBit/sec
    • NIRAN (Northern Ireland) 1 * 1 GBit/sec
    • GÉANT (Europe) 2 * 10 GBit/sec
  • Internet
    • INEX (Internet Neutral Exchange) in Ireland 2 * 10 GBit/sec
    • General Internet 2 * 10 GBit/sec

I would be interested to hear from users who are able to watch the Oireachtas TV service as a Webcasting feed or as an IPTV feed. I would also like to know the quality of the stream, e.g. bandwidth used by the stream that you are receiving.

Posted in IPTV, Ireland, Oireachtas TV, Parliament on the Web | Leave a Comment »

Oireachtas TV available on the Internet (Webcasting)

Posted by bollinsl on 11 August 2008

Oireachtas TV is available on the Internet and on educational networks as Windows Media Webcast streaming, and we are looking at supplying a Flash service in addition.

Live feeds of the Dáil and Seanad are provided, and additional feeds are being considered (Committees, multiscreen channel, the parliamentary channel).

The streams are provided as 16:9 widescreen as follows:

  • Broadband (1.2 MB/sec)
  • Modem (43 KB/sec)
  • Audio (20 KB/sec)

The SDI feeds from the Oireachtas Broadcasting Unit are encoded as Windows Media Player streams. The following live feeds are available:

The Oireachtas Live Webcasting service is provided in association with HEAnet, Ireland’s Educational are Research Network.

The Webcasting Streams are provided to several networks including the following:

  • Educational and Research Networks
    • HEAnet (Ireland)
    • JANET (UK)2 * 1 GBit/sec
    • NIRAN (Northern Ireland) 1 * 1 GBit/sec
    • GÉANT (Europe) 2 * 10 GBit/sec
  • Internet
    • INEX (Internet Neutral Exchange) in Ireland 2 * 10 GBit/sec
    • General Internet 2 * 10 GBit/sec

I would be interested to hear from users who are able to watch the Oireachtas TV service as a Webcasting feed or as an IPTV feed. I would also like to know the quality of the stream, e.g. bandwidth used by the stream that you are receiving.

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Oireachtas TV available on the Government Networks (MPEG4 IPTV)

Posted by bollinsl on 8 August 2008

The Oireachtas TV Irish parliamentary digital television service is available on the Government Campus LAN in Dublin and on the Government Networks in Ireland as the Oireachtas MPEG4 IPTV service, and provided in association with the Department of Finance.

The television service is available as IPTV MPEG4 at 1.2 MBit/sec per channel, which gives a very good quality 16:9 wide screen feed.

The SDI fed from the Broadcasting Unit is encoded as MPEG4 using a Skystream encoder. The following live feeds are available:

  • Dáil (House),
  • Seanad (Senate)
  • CR1 (committee room 1)
  • CR2 (committee room 2)
  • CR3 (committee room 3)
  • CR4 (committee room 4)

Government department and agencies may receive these channels free of charge once they are connected to the Government Campus LAN or to the Government Networks using a 10 MBit/sec or faster connection, provided by a carrier which is capable to carrying multicast traffic (all carriers connected so far are capable of this), and your own LAN must also be able to support multicast IP.

Multicast IP is used, so there is no impact on the bandwidth of government departments’ networks or Internet connections no matter how many users are watching the channels.

The Skystream appliance encoder that we use can handle eight channels, six are in use at present. The Office plans to supply the new parliamentary channel, and a multiscreen channel showing live feeds from the Dáil, Seanad and four committee rooms on one screen.

There is also a backup encoding system in place which can use input from the RF television distribution system.

Users can watch the television feeds using a standard television via a set top box and a SCART cable, or on a PC.

Several departments and offices are already connected to this service, and discussions are ongoing with several other departments, offices and agencies.

Any government department, office or agency interested in receiving Oireachtas IPTV channels should contact:

Posted in IPTV, Ireland, Oireachtas TV, Parliament on the Web | Leave a Comment »

Researching the Free Travel Scheme

Posted by bollinsl on 5 August 2008

I was contacted by a man who was carrying out research into the free travel scheme for old age pensioners, and who had difficulties searching the Historical Debates for information about the commencement of the scheme. He though that it was around 1967.

Using the PLWeb search tool on the Historical Debates Web site, searching for Free Travel in “headings” there were 19 hits for Houses Business = “Questions”, including the following:

Dáil Éireann – Volume 227 – 11 April, 1967

Financial Statement. – Budget, 1967.

Current Budget, 1966-67—outturn

Free electricity and transport for old age pensioners

…

A scheme is also being worked out in consultation with CIE whereby old age and blind pensioners will be able to travel free of charge on CIE buses and trains during periods when traffic is not heavy. It will be introduced during the course of the next few months.

The net cost of the schemes, as agreed after some experience of their operation, will be reimbursed to the ESB and CIE from public funds.

Dáil Éireann – Volume 228 – 24 May, 1967

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. – Free Travel for Old Age Pensioners.

27. Mr. Clinton asked the Minister for Finance when free off-peak travel for old age pensioners will start.

Mr. Haughey: While I am not in a position to announce a specific date at this stage, I hope to have the scheme in operation in July.

Dáil Éireann – Volume 230 – 20 July, 1967

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. – Free Travel for Old Age Pensioners.

41. Mr. S. Dunne asked the Minister for Social Welfare the conditions under which free travel facilities are afforded to old age pensioners.

Mr. J. Brennan:The free travel facilities on CIE services are afforded to old age and blind pensioners who are in possession of a current pension book to which has been affixed a notice setting out the conditions under which the concession operates.  …

 Searching the Historical Debates Web site for the Social Welfare estimates, I found the following:

Dáil Éireann – Volume 230 – 24 October, 1967

Committee on Finance. – Vote No. 47—Social Welfare.

Minister for Social Welfare (Mr. J. Brennan): I move:

That a sum not exceeding £42,556,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1968, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Office of the Minister for Social Welfare, for certain Services administered by that Office, for payments to the Social Insurance Fund, and for Sundry Grants…


 

The expenditure on the free travel Scheme was voted expenditure and so would come under the usual financial procedures for government spending, so some other useful official sources would be:
  • Revised Estimates Volume 1967 (and subsequent years), contains detail of expenditure estimates (budgets), each estimate (budget) or “vote” is taken as a separate vote in the Dáil, but may be referred to a committee for debate.
  • The Appropriation Act (annual) give statutory effect to the estimates.
  • Appropriation Accounts (annual) give details of actual expenditure
  • Report of the Committee of Public Accounts on the Appropriation Accounts (annual)

Posted in Ireland, Parliament on the Web, Search | Leave a Comment »

Chronology of Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas

Posted by bollinsl on 3 August 2008

I was often asked for information current and former members of the Houses of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Ireland.

In fact, Members are very important entities when modelling information systems architecture in parliaments. Any member may be a member of one or more parliaments, Houses, committees. Members may vote in divisions, ask questions, propose amendments and motions, hold office as speaker, cabinet minister, or minister of state, committee chairman, to name but a few roles.

In my case. while the information was in the public domain, there was no readily accessible database of the Members of Dáil Éireann (1919–) and Seanad Éireann (1922–).

As part of the Historical Debates project, a database was created to assist searching the official report Web site, however, it was not available on-line.

We managed to transfer the data to a mysql relation database, and and it to the Houses of the Oireachtas Web site: Chronology of Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The database is updated constantly, and new events occur, or as historical information becomes available. This means that the data integrity is maintained, an essential building block for future developments.

The simple relation database includes the following data, and can handle members who change houses, parties, constituencies and panels:

  • House
    • Dáil
      • 1st Dáil 1919…
        • Constituencies
          • Deputies
      • 30th Dáil 2007–
    • Seanad
      • 1st Seanad 1922…
        • Panels
          • Senators
      • 23rd Seanad 2007–
  • Members
    • Photograph
    • Date of Birth/ death
    • brief curriculum vitae
    • Profession
    • Address
    • email
    • Web site
    • Houses
      • Dáil – Deputy 
        • Constituency…
        • Party…
      • Seanad – Senator 
        • Panel…
        • Party…

Posted in Parliament on the Web | Leave a Comment »

Hello world!

Posted by bollinsl on 1 August 2008

Hi

Just another blog – about eParliament and eDemocracy matters…

Leo

Posted in Parliament on the Web | 1 Comment »

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