Lauriault, Tracey P. (2014) Observations and Recommendations: on the Republic of Ireland Open Data Strategy (Working Paper 3). Working Paper. Programmable City, Social Science Research Network.

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Abstract

1. Introduction - Context The Republic of Ireland Department of Public Expenditures and Reform (DPER) launched its first Open Data Portal data.gov.ie on July 22nd. It also conducted three public consultations, one with public sector bodies on September 22nd, and later on September 8th with civil society organizations and the public, while also accepting responses and recommendations by email. Open Data in the Republic is being led and coordinated by the DPER Government Reform Unit and the Chief Information Officer. The new CKAN portal was created by Insight Galway and it marks an important milestone toward meeting the following government objectives to: • enhance openness and transparency, • strengthen public governance and • yield economic benefits. The following are the information products delivered by Insight at National University of Ireland at Galway (NUIG): 1. Best Practice Handbook 2. Data Audit Report 3. Roadmap 4. Evaluation Framework 5. Open Data Publication Handbook Information products were delivered as per the DPER Request for Tender (RfT) and according to the following high level requirements: • Provide advice and support to facilitate the implementation of key objectives and actions related to the Open Data initiative. • Identify and align with national requirements best practice and international standards for Open Data; • Help specify short- , medium- and long-term objectives for Open Data in Ireland; • Identify potential opportunities for Ireland to design its Open Data drawing on the experience of what has worked and has not worked in other jurisdictions and also drawing on the scope for positively differentiating Open Data in Ireland; • Establish an inventory of datasets currently available in the public domain as well as assist in identifying priority areas for the publication of datasets in the future; and • Develop a roadmap for how Ireland could achieve its objectives in the area of Open Data. In the spirit of collaboration and openness, after the July 22nd launch the DPER solicited input on the following questions from public sector bodies that have expertise and a stake in the initiative: • What do you see as the priorities for Open Data and next steps? • Any issues/concerns that need to be addressed in standardisation and publication of data? • How we would maintain this type of group going forward given the level of expertise and experience in the room today – maybe meet as a Forum 3 times a year? • Indicate whether you are willing to participate in a smaller group and work in an engaged way to support DPER on particular aspects and on the development of an Open Data strategy in the coming months? • How we should engage with civil society, business interests and other users to ensure we focus our attention on high value datasets that will be used so that potential economic, social and political benefits can be realised? Finally, the DPER solicited input from the public but unfortunately submissions were to be made to an email address in lieu of an open forum whereby others could see who and what was submitted. This launch marks a turning point in Ireland’s open data story which was sketched out in the 1st of this 3 part series on Open Data and Open Government. This milestone affirms Ireland’s international commitment to the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and it is also a precondition for Ireland’s ability to sign onto the G8 Open Data Charter whereby signatories commit to: • Open Data by Default • Quality and Quantity • Useable by All • Releasing Data for Improved Governance • Releasing Data for Innovation OGP membership, signing onto the G8 Charter and the launch of the Open Data portal, are positive steps toward the advancement of public sector reform and Minister Howlin, DPER and Insight are to be lauded for moving this plan forward. The rest of this paper examines the DPER Open Data plan, the DPER/Insight portal, research documents, their recommendations and provides answers to a series of questions DPER officials posed after the July 22, 2014 public sector consultations. It is also The Programmable City Project submission to the DPER Open Data Consultation.

Item Type:	Monograph (Working Paper)
Keywords:	Open Data; open government; transparency; DPER;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Geography Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Institutes > National Institute for Regional and Spatial analysis, NIRSA
Item ID:	5682
Depositing User:	Tracey Lauriault
Date Deposited:	19 Jan 2015 09:52
Publisher:	Programmable City
Funders:	European Research Council
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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