Tá leagan Gaeilge den mhír seo ar fáil anseo.
The Government approved a new national Open Data Strategy for 2023-2027, officially published in November 2023. Building upon the significant progress made since the inception of the Open Data Initiative in 2014 and the previous Open Data Strategy for 2017-2022, the Open Data Strategy 2023 – 2027 outlines a comprehensive roadmap for harnessing the potential of open data to drive innovation and transformation across sectors.
Under the leadership of the Open Data Governance Board, the Strategy benefited from input from diverse stakeholders, including representatives from business, civil society groups, researchers/academia, librarians’/information professionals, and the Public Bodies Working Group on Open Data. The foundational document, ‘Foundation Document for the development of the Public Service Open Data Strategy', was published in 2015 after undergoing a public consultation process. In June 2017, a further short public consultation provided an additional opportunity for stakeholders to contribute their insights.
The Strategy sets out actions under strategic pillars:
- Publishers: To support publishers and drive the production of high-value and high-quality datasets responsive to users’ needs. This will include describing the benefits and the key role Open Data plays in transparent and evidence-based decisions.
- Platform: To drive a thriving Open Data ecosystem supported by a trusted Open Data platform responsive to stakeholders’ needs. Deliver valued outcomes for users, working to high standards of governance and open communication.
- Users: To support stakeholders across all sectors to shape and improve easy access to and use of trusted Open Data sources to benefit our stakeholder communities.
The strategy provides a framework for the actions the Public Service will take on Open Data over the next five years. Opportunities are laid out across three pillars for unlocking the power of Open Data in Ireland. Guiding goals and actions are provided for 1. data publishers, 2. The development of the Open Data platform and 3. for data users.
Pillar 1 - Publishers:
- Mapping and indexing public services data sets to be easily discoverable and compliant with standard open formats and licences.
- Facilitating increased publication of relevant data not currently available to align with stakeholders’ data needs.
- Ensuring timely and consistent upload frequency for published data sets.
- Demonstrating the value and impact of Open Data and identifying success indicators to provide evidence on the business case for increased Open Data use.
- Promoting real-time use of Open Data in government bodies to enhance fully transparent decision-making. Educating a critical mass of public servants on effective data management strategies is central to the delivery of this goal.
- Using best practice feedback insights to learn from and refine the quality and range of data published.
- Ensuring the publication of high-quality and high-value datasets by building a community of practice through stakeholder engagement, training and support.
- Promoting greater clarity among publishers and potential publishers on what data they should make available as Open Data.
Pillar 2 - Platform:
- Updating our Open Data platform to deliver better searches, graphics and an improved personalisation of experience through effective stakeholder collaboration and feedback loops.
- Providing publishers with quality insight reports on data use building sector-specific knowledge on the uptake and use of valued datasets.
- Strengthening our governance frameworks to meet high standards in privacy, security and ethics to enhance trust in our systems.
- Developing the capacity and capability of our Open Data ecosystem through stakeholder events, funding and creating opportunities for networking across sectors.
- Raising recognition of the value and impact Open Data offers, to align and secure the resources needed to realise its full potential for organisations and communities. Supporting the network of Open Data Liaison Officers to do this on the ground in their own organisations is essential.
- Sharing best practice learning from international partners and research communities to improve and innovate our Open Data platform and ecosystem
Pillar 3 - Users:
- Building data visualisation capability within our Open Data portal that will make Open Data more user-friendly to discover, access and understand.
- Hosting opportunities for our network of users to share learning and experience.
- Supporting better communication, engagement and community outreach events.
- Creating effective feedback loops with user groups and communities of interest to understand how Open Data can serve their needs and improve their experience of Open Data access and use.
- Facilitating collaborative partnerships to strengthen users’ involvement to co-create and increase Open Data use across sectors and in our communities.
This strategy aims to build on past achievements, improve data management, and maximise the benefits of open data for Ireland over the next five years and beyond.
For further details, refer to the Minister's Press Release.
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