The Central Statistics Office should continue and step up the efforts towards creating a National Data Infrastructure, with greater use of the provisions in the Statistics Act that equip the Central Statistics Office with powers to coordinate and set standards for producers of official statistics and holders of administrative data, while maintaining a collegial approach. (Improvement-related: ES CoP, Indicators 1bis.1, 2.2 and 10.3).
CSO’s approach to this action will as always be informed by Budget outcomes, and CSO will define its short to medium term data stewardship ‘offering’ to Public Service Bodies (PSBs) (including a detailed action plan) by end Q4 2022. While the CSO has developed strong working relationships with producers and users across the statistical system, the CSO is committed to increasing the level of data services and supports to the system through the delivery of data stewardship.
Publication of annual National Data Infrastructure dashboard. The CSO will publish an annual NDI dashboard, which monitors and promotes the coverage of three unique identifiers (Person, Business and Location) across public sector data holdings while also promoting the value of the NDI in meeting known and emerging data needs in the public service. As the roll out of data standards continues, the NDI dashboard will be expanded to document the progress being made in the implementation of data standards for key statistical concepts.
Q4 2024.
Central Statistics Office.
Increase participation with the NDI by stakeholders. The CSO will promote the level of participation in the NDI through engagement with key stakeholders, users, and policy makers though a broad range of engagement fora. This includes the NDI Champions group which meets quarterly, the Formals Statistics Liaison group which also meets quarterly, the Annual Administrative data seminar as well as other national data seminars and conferences where key users and stakeholders are in attendance. It also includes direct engagement with the Civil Service Management Board, the Assistant Secretary network, the Data Governance Board and key government Departments. These fora and direct engagements provide the opportunity to promote the value of data and enable the treatment of data as a strategic national asset through the harmonisation and greater use (and re-use) of data. This promotion will focus on increasing the awareness of the power of data and the supports and services that the CSO can provide to public sector bodies to unlock the potential of their data. It will also provide the opportunity to influence public sector bodies to engage with the advancement of the NDI in their organisation.
Q4 2024 (progress report annually afterwards).
Central Statistics Office.
Development and provision of a data room. The CSO will develop and provide a data rooms service based on linked datasets to promote the use of data in public bodies and act as a further encouragement to adopt standards.
Pilot and evaluate the data room in a selected number of public bodies.
Q3 2024.
Central Statistics Office.
Roll out and expand, subject to permanent funding, the data room to other public bodies.
Q4 2025.
Central Statistics Office.
Support the data stewardship role. The CSO will expand the delivery of data supports and services to producers in the national statistical system. As part of the role, CSO will produce a suite of data standards for key statistical concepts to improve the harmonisation and standardisation of data across the statistical system. CSO will also provide support and guidance to producers to enable the implementation of these standards across national administrative systems. CSO will also develop a data standards portal to ensure the standards are accessible and useable as well as the provision of APIs to enable use of the standards in digital services.
Q4 2024.
Central Statistics Office.
The Central Statistics Office needs to expand the programme of seconded statisticians by convincing producers of official statistics to engage or engage more with the programme and, hence, spread its benefits. (Improvement-related: ES CoP, Indicators 8.7, 10.3 and 10.4).
Currently there are 39 CSO statistical staff (statistician and senior statisticians) on secondment to other public authorities as part of the Irish Government Statistical Service (IGSS). This is up from 18 statisticians and senior statisticians in 10 Departments/Offices six years ago. There are a further 7 outstanding requests for extra IGSS staff including for three new organisations. Through on-going actions, the CSO will continue to increase awareness of the Irish Government Statistical Service (IGSS), promoting the expansion of the secondment programme.
Expand the Irish Government Statistical Service by highlighting the benefits that the IGSS offers by having dedicated agenda items promoting the IGSS in the CSO’s regular engagements with other inter-departmental groups like the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service, the National Data Infrastructure Champions Group and the Formal Statistician Liaison Group. This includes having a standing item on the agenda for each of the quarterly NDI Champions and FSLG meetings where seconded statisticians present the work they are carrying out in their Departments where they are seconded, to show the contribution they are making to the wider system and to share experiences and knowledge with colleagues.
Q4 2023.
Central Statistics Office.
Showcasing collaborations between the CSO and secondees, highlighting the benefits of such projects, e.g., increased insight from a Pathfinder Report that utilised administrative data from numerous sources as well as showcasing collaborations between the CSO and public authorities in the form of project-based programmes. Examples of these collaborations include the publication and promotion of joint work between CSO, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and SUSI (Ireland’s national awarding authority for further and higher education which focused on education outcomes for grant recipients 2012-2022 which was published in September 2024 (https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/fp/fp-eossr/educationandotheroutcomesforsusisupportrecipients2012-2022/).
Q4 2023.
Central Statistics Office.
Increase the frequency of competitions to recruit statisticians with a view to holding a competition twice a year.
Q2 2024.
Central Statistics Office.
Data Science and Statistical Support unit.Creation of a dedicated 'Data Science and Statistical Support Unit' within the CSO to be available and ready to be assigned to key public authority policy areas at short notice to tackle bespoke requirements (e.g., Ukraine; COVID-19) and to advise on data strategy development, data acquisition/linking, data engineering/data science, methodology and quality supports, all essential underpinnings for the robust expansion of data-insight work across the wider civil and public service.
Q4 2022.
Central Statistics Office.
Development of a brochure/catalogue of services available from the CSO to public authorities.
Q3 2022.
Central Statistics Office.
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