Mandate for Open Data Governance Board

Mandate for Open Data Governance Board

Overarching Framework for Open Data

Foundations

Substantial progress has been made in putting the foundations in place to create the environment to enable Open Data to happen with key actions outlined in Annexe 1. The Central Statistics Office and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will work together under the guidance of the Governance Board to support public bodies in meeting the Open Data objectives.

Governance

Strong leadership is required to lead the Initiative. An Open Data Governance Board has been established to lead and drive the implementation of Open Data in Ireland. The Board will be supported by the Public Bodies Working Group and the Open Data Unit within the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in implementing its mandate. The Board brings a very good mix of skills, knowledge and expertise and its mandate in overseeing implementation will include:

Next Steps

Success of Open Data in Ireland requires actions from four stakeholder groups namely public bodies, business, researchers and the wider community (citizens and civil society) as follows:

Annexe 1

Key actions in setting the foundations include:

•An alpha portal was launched in July 2014 followed by a beta version (data.gov.ie) on 30 June 2015 improving the look and feel, introducing new features and significantly increasing the number of high quality datasets on the portal for re-use

•A Technical Framework meeting best practice standards internationally has been developed, by a Public Bodies Working Group of experts, which sets publication standards, recommended formats, a metadata scheme and provides for datasets to be published under open licensing thus ensuring the accessibility of high quality open datasets

•A Foundation document for the development of this Open Data Strategy was developed to build knowledge of Open Data and ascertain public views on the future direction of Open Data in Ireland

•Seminars and training were provided to public bodies to build capacity around Open Data and a number of public events were held to raise awareness and promote re-use of datasets

•An audit methodology, an audit tool, a publication plan template and guidance notes were developed to assist public bodies in auditing and publishing appropriate datasets for re-use as well as promoting effective use and sharing of datasets between public bodies

•Working arrangements agreed enabling the Central Statistics Office and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to support public bodies in implementing Open Data.

This progress builds on a comprehensive scoping project carried out by Insight@NUIG (2014). The Insight project references a range of international studies which confirms the value of publishing this raw data in open format in view of its significant potential to secure substantial social, economic and democratic benefits such as:

•New business and economic opportunities (potential to develop new products and services resulting in job creation, access to data boosting capacity of businesses and researchers to innovate, business efficiency by gaining more precise information on customer needs)

•Better data discipline in public bodies providing for greater efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery and better informed policy decisions to address societal challenges

•enabling researchers from different domains to collaborate prompting new solutions

•better and more accountable public services through publication and use of Open Data