The concept of Open Data is about making data held by public bodies available and easily accessible online for reuse and redistribution. As public bodies have progressed in areas like eGovernment and data analytics, the potential of data and, in particular, Open Data to help deliver economic, social and democratic benefits has become clearer. The data.gov.ie portal brings these datasets together in a single searchable website.
Data.gov.ie is intended to provide easy access to datasets that are free to use, reuse, and redistribute. The portal is operated by the Government Reform Unit of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
The Open Data listed in data.gov.ie is published by over 80 Government Departments and Public Bodies. Many datasets are individually published and updated by public organisations. Other datasets are harvested daily from existing, domain-specific data catalogues. Data.gov.ie currently harvests data from:
The Irish Spatial Data Exchange,
Dublinked,
Central Statistics Office's StatCentral.ie,
Ordnance Survey Ireland,
Health Service Executive,
Cork City,
Galway City Council,
Galway County Council,
Roscommon County Council,
Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.