Leveraging the recent commitment by Brendan Howlin for Ireland to join the open government partnership (OGP), we have recently submitted a recommendation to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (@IRLDeptPER) for the establishment of an Open Data Institute for Ireland. This recommendation is included along with a number of other submissions on the OGP section of the department of public expenditure and reform website. The thinking behind that recommendation is captured in an accompanying presentation (which you can access here).

The main principle is that such an institute can be founded by adopting the charter produced by the open data institute in the UK such that it will:

• promote open data through education

• offer revenue generating certification for private sector organisations to audit public sector bodies

• be at the centre of a government transparency board

• promote the use of open data in the private sector to aid innovation and job creation

An independent body, such as the Open Data Institute for Ireland, can energise the open data movement further by catalysing the reaction needed between the public sector (e.g. through the newly established office of the government chief information officer, OGCIO), the private sector, the research/education sector, and indeed the non-for-profit/charity sector.

But the efforts must keep going on all fronts: the monthly OKF and Open Data Ireland meetups to maintain the community spirit are great place to start and I urge you to join in when you can.

Michael Byrne, Esri Ireland