Everyone should get the chance to benefit from going on-line.

That was the message as the Manx government hosted the British-Irish Council’s digital inclusion work sector’s first ministerial meeting.

Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas MHK chaired the meeting at the Villa Marina.

Ministers who attended included Chris Skidmore MP, UK Minister for the Constitution and John Halligan TD, Irish Minister of State for Training, Skills and Innovation.

The Scottish government was represented by Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs and the Welsh government was represented by Alun Davies AM, Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language.

Also present was Guernsey Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, member of the Committee forEconomic Development and member of the Committee for Education, Sport and Culture, and Jersey Deputy Scott Wickenden, Assistant Minister for e-Government.

Ministers discussed and reviewed a paper, ’Digital Inclusion: Developing Digital Skills’, prepared by the work sector.

They agreed the importance of everybody having the opportunity to share in the benefits of technology, and of its potential contribution towards wider government policies in areas such as community cohesion, economic participation and health and well-being.

Tynwald approved the Manx government’ digital inclusion strategy in June last year.

Mr Thomas said encouraging more people to take advantage of developing technology can save money for the taxpayer.

He cited the example of the electoral register and the census.

* The picture shows (first row, from left): Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, Chris Skidmore MP and Fiona Hyslop MP; (second row, from left): Deputy Scott Wickenden and John Halligan TD; and (back row, from left): Chris Thomas MHK and Alun Davies AM.