'2025 Annual Update - Irish Statistical System Code of Practice'

The Irish Statistical System Code of Practice (ISSCoP), coordinated by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), continues to strengthen the quality, transparency and credibility of official statistics produced across Ireland. ISSCoP promotes professional independence, timeliness, accessibility, quality, and confidentiality in statistical outputs, reinforcing public trust in data used for policy, decision-making and public discourse.

Certification Achievements & Official Statistics

2025 saw substantial progress in ISSCoP certification with the CSO Management Board awarding ISSCOP certification to the following organisations:

• The Road Safety Authority (RSA) had five products certified, adding official quality-assured statistics to the Irish Statistical System. 

• Solas, Ireland’s further education and training authority, received ISSCoP certification for one of their statistical outputs in September 2025'

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added one certified product in October 2025, further expanding the range of official statistics across sectors.

• In December 2025, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) received ISSCoP certification for five key energy statistics, including monthly energy series and the National Energy Balance.

The growing list of certified outputs demonstrates the widening adoption of ISSCoP standards. To view a list of Organisations/Products across the National Statistical System (NSS) that have been awarded ISSCoP Certification to date, please visit the Official Statistics with ISSCoP Certification section of this website.

Organisational Development & Collaboration

Throughout 2025, ISSCoP remained deeply integrated into broader national data initiatives:

• Content related to ISSCoP was fully migrated to the central National Data website, improving accessibility and clarity for users and producers of official statistics.

• The continued growth of the National Data Analyst Network (NDAN) facilitated community building and knowledge exchange among data practitioners. 

• National Data Infrastructure conferences and workshops emphasised the role of high-quality data standards in evidence-based policy, with ISSCoP principles embedded within broader data governance agendas.

These activities have encouraged cross-sector dialogue and helped embed ISSCoP’s standards within Ireland’s evolving data ecosystem.

Capacity Building & Supporting Structures

The CSO continued active support for statistical producers engaging with ISSCoP, offering structured guidance through the ISSCoP certification process—including self-assessment, peer review, and improvement planning with regular monitoring.

Additionally, the expansion of related services such as Open data supports, a new data methodology hub on PxStat and meetings of National Data Identifiers champions contributed to promoting transparency, data visibility and reinforcing the ISSCoP principles across the public sector.

Looking Forward

CSO continued to promote ISSCoP Certification to the NSS throughout 2025 with a number of new Organisations showing an increased appetite to commit to the ISSCOP Certification process.  Increased certification activity across a diverse range of public service bodies together with strong cooperation and collaboration across the NSS strengthen the long-term impact of ISSCoP in fostering trusted, transparent statistics. CSO would like to acknowledge this ongoing engagement across the NSS in the continued implementation of this significant initiative which also strengthens the ability of organisations to meet both national and EU requirements.

 ___________________

Jennifer Banim

Director General

Central Statistics Office

Published 19 January 2026