What Is the Open Data Directive?
The Open Data and Re-use of Public Sector Information Directive (EU) 2019/1024—commonly known as the Open Data Directive—replaces the earlier Public Sector Information (PSI) Directive. It was transposed into Irish law by S.I. No. 376/2021.
The Directive aims to:
- Promote the release of public sector data in open, machine-readable formats.
- Enable re-use of non-personal data for both commercial and non-commercial purposes.
- Support innovation, transparency, and economic growth across the EU.
Contact Us
You can make a re-use request by email or post:
By Email
Please include "Open Data Request" in the subject line.
By Post
[Contact person TBC]
Skillnet Ireland,
5th Floor, Q House,
76 Furze Road, Sandyford,
Dublin 18, D18 E268
We check our emails and post every working day. We aim to respond within 20 working days. If your request is complex, we may extend this to 40 working days, and we will notify you within three weeks of receiving your request.
Make a Re-use Request
To request the re-use of public sector information:
- Submit your request in writing (email or letter).
- Clearly state that your request is made under the Open Data and Re-use of Public Sector Information Directive (EU) 2019/1024.
- Be as specific as possible about the data or documents you are seeking to re-use.
- Indicate your preferred format (e.g. CSV, JSON, PDF).
- Include your name and contact details.
We will provide the data in open, machine-readable formats where possible, and may use APIs for real-time or dynamic data.
Fees
Re-use of public sector information is generally free of charge.
Charges may only apply in limited cases, such as:
- Where the data is held by a public undertaking (e.g. utilities or transport providers).
- Where a reasonable return on investment is justified.
We will notify you in advance if any charges apply.
Appeals
If you are dissatisfied with our decision or how your request was handled, you may:
Request an Internal Review
- Must be submitted within one month of our decision.
- Conducted by a more senior staff member.
- We will respond within 20 working days.
Appeal to the Office of the Information Commissioner
- The Commissioner is an independent appeals body.
- They may affirm, annul, or vary our decision.
- More info: OIC – Appeals
Open Data Licence
Unless otherwise stated, our data is released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. This means you are free to:
- Copy, modify, and share the data
- Use it for commercial or non-commercial purposes
You must acknowledge the source as follows:
“Contains Irish Public Sector Data licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.”
Proactive Publication
We are committed to proactively publishing high-value datasets and other public sector information.
Visit our Publications section to access reports, datasets, and other resources.