The Trouble with Open Data in Ireland
In the Beginning In response to " The Potential of Open Data " published by Deirdre Lee, at the Insight Centre for Data Analytics, NUI Galway ( www.insight-centre.org ), I offer my opinion on the health of the government's open data efforts to date. Ireland needs to take a page from Sir Francis Maude and not the US. The US open data initiative is an embarrassment. Embrace "Data is the 21st century’s new raw material." The Beginning of Open Data in Ireland To be fair, Ireland is just beginning the road to open data after an internal struggle stretching back five years. The Irish Minister of Reform, Brendan Howlin, has also wisely eliminated FOI fees for information requests. This FOI issue has long been a point of political divisiveness in Ireland. Indeed at the Open Government Partnership Summit in Dublin this past year I witnessed street demonstrations against FOI. Government creates an Open Data Initiative In late January, a tender was issued by the CIO of I