A pilot scheme was launched this week by Northern Ireland government departments to provide public access to details of social security benefits as well as current job vacancies. The Community Access scheme is the first of its kind in Europe and is spearheaded by the Central Information Technology Unit for Northern Ireland, the body leading the drive for the delivery of electronic government services.

The project is one of a number of initiatives designed to deliver on British Prime Minister Tony Blair's promise that within five years, a quarter of British government business will be conducted electronically. The programme will run for a trial period of six months and the reactions of participating members of the public will be assessed at the end of the trial.