Currently there are approximately 10,600 datasets on the CSO’s PxStat open data statistical database (incl. a number of other Public Sector Bodies’ tables).

The primary objectives of Open Data are as follows:

• Contribute to policies and better-informed decision making, transparency and accountability.
• Free flow of data, transparency and fair competition.
• Provided via PxStat in bulk download and machine-readable format.
• Includes High Value Datasets.

European Commission adopted an implementing act (Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/138) on high-value datasets on 21 December 2022, which establishes the list of High-Value Datasets (HVD) belonging to the thematic categories and lays down the arrangements for publishing and reusing HVD. The CSO HVD are listed as per Statistics thematic category. The Directive 2019/1024/EU on Open Data & Re-Use of Public Sector Information (Open Data Directive) was transposed into Irish law by S.I. No. 376 of 2021 which came into force on 22nd July, 2021. The Directive 2019/1024/EU requires that such datasets are available free of charge, are provided via Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

Additional Resources:

• CSO's PxStat Statistical Database
• High Value Datasets on the CSO website
• Ireland's Open Data Portal

The Virtual Data Rooms (VDR) provides a secure environment where Civil and Public Sector organisations can apply to the CSO to access pseudonymized data for statistical purposes. This service is being provided exclusively for Civil and Public Sector organisations, whilst working in collaboration with the CSO, to carry out analysis that supports evidence-based decision making, necessary for policy evaluation and formulation.

Data for Researchers

The primary objective of the CSO in providing access to microdata is to support the research community and to ensure that maximum usage is made of the data collected by the CSO. This approach supports the move towards evidence-based policy-making, has the potential to reduce the cost of research and also helps to avoid duplicate data collections. The information available to the CSO (whether directly or indirectly) is used by the Office for statistical purposes only.

Learn more about Data for Researchers on the CSO website.

CSO has a formal coordination role to play across the Irish Statistical System (ISS). To strengthen this co-ordination role and support quality improvement, the Quality Co-ordinator provides a range of services to other bodies across the system:

• Statistical Work Plan available on the CSO website
• Meetings to facilitate Open Data Hosting on the CSO's PxStat Statistical Database
• Quality Documentation
• Process Mapping
• Quality Reporting/Metadata

Data services includes a set of supports and practices that enable civil and public sector bodies to deliver better data. The set of services ranges from quality and data management supports to methodology support and questionnaire development support. This set of services is likely to grow and adjust over time to the demands of the broader system.

Methodology Division of the CSO can help with the application of statistical methodologies in the Irish Statistical System (ISS).

Areas of possible support include:

• Sample design
• Imputation and editing
• Weighting and calibration
• Precision estimation
• Seasonal Adjustment (SA)
• Statistical Disclosure Control (SDC)
• Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

Contact the CSO Methodology Division at methodology@cso.ie