Skills
Data skills are foundational to every aspect of building and maintaining data infrastructure for the civil and public service. The CSO continues to expand the range of supports available to the system. This section outlines the supports currently available.
National Statistical Service
The National Statistical Service (NSS), formerly the Irish Government Statistical Service, is a statistical staff secondment programme, formed to assist with the development of statistical capabilities across the Public Service. The primary objectives of this programme are as follows:
- Support the enhancement of the statistical capabilities in the Host Organisation
- Support the rollout of the NDI (National Data Infrastructure). This will include updates on issues around key NDI identifiers (PPSN, Eircode, UBI) in Host Organisations, as well as implementing data quality and standard classifications.
- Support strong co-operation between NSS and Irish Government Economic & Evaluation Service (IGEES) to improve synergy between the two networks
Learn more about the National Statistical Service on the CSO website.
Statistical Hit Squads
Small teams with Data Analysis and Statistical skills can be assigned to specific policy issues for short periods.
Pathfinder Projects
Pathfinder projects aim to develop new statistical releases and outputs through innovative methods of combining public administrative data sources and other CSO data.
National Data Analysts Network
The National Data Analysts Network (NDAN), formerly known as the Formal Statistician Liaison Group (FSLG), promotes the use of public sector data and supports the development of the National Data Infrastructure. It focuses on Coordination by advancing National Statistics Board priorities, aligning data strategies, and addressing legislative changes; Collaboration by fostering networking, cross-project collaboration, and promoting the use of tools like the Virtual Data Rooms; and Capacity by sharing project outputs, methodologies, and technological solutions to enhance expertise across the system.
Capacity Development
CSO continues to support capacity development within the Irish Statistical System through knowledge-sharing networks and training and development opportunities. Two key mechanisms through which knowledge is shared and skills are developed are through Communities of Practice and the European Statistical Training Programme (ESTP).
For further information contact stat_training@cso.ie.
Communities of Practice
A Community of Practice (CoP) is a network of enthusiasts who share and create knowledge around a common interest area. They act as learning forums where members have a desire to learn from and contribute to the Community with their variety of experiences.
There are currently three CoPs in operation which relate to the National Data Infrastructure:
- R Users Network
- Community of Practice on Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
- Community of Practice on Weighting and Calibration
Statistical Training
Statistical training includes the European Statistical Training Programme (ESTP). The ESTP offers statistical training that complements national training schemes and meets the challenges of comparable statistics at European and international level.