Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 July 2026
77. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach the steps taken by the Government, without prejudice to the statistical independence of the Central Statistics Office, to assess the relevance of the Copenhagen framework on citizen data, endorsed by the United Nations statistical commission in March 2025, to the integration of citizen-generated data into Ireland's official statistics system. [50126/26]
View answerReferred to CSO for answer
The Copenhagen Framework on Citizen Data, developed by the United Nations and the Collaborative on Citizen Data, provides guidance on strengthening collaboration between citizens and official statistical systems. Its core pillars—Participation and Inclusion, Ethics and Trust, and Collaboration and Sustainability—are broadly consistent with the values and strategic objectives underpinning the work of the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
These approaches demonstrate the CSO's longstanding commitment to engaging with citizens and stakeholders and provide a strong foundation for considering how citizen-generated data may complement traditional official statistics, where appropriate and subject to established quality and methodological standards.
The CSO has long recognised that producing high-quality official statistics requires meaningful engagement with the people and communities the data represents. The Office works closely with a broad range of stakeholders to ensure that surveys and statistical outputs are relevant, inclusive and responsive to emerging information needs. Examples include the Census Advisory Group, which is consulted in advance of each Census; extensive engagement with representative organisations during the development of the 2022 Sexual Violence Survey and the forthcoming 2027 Gender-based Violence Survey; and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Stakeholder Forum, which brings together representatives from government, academia, civil society and other sectors to inform the development of SDG indicators. Planning for the 2028 Irish Disability Survey has also involved extensive consultation with disability organisations, advocacy groups and other stakeholders to ensure the survey reflects the experiences and priorities of the disability community.
These consultations are complemented by the CSO's extensive network of statistical liaison groups, which span the Office's principal statistical domains. These groups bring together representatives from government departments, public bodies, researchers, academia, business and non-governmental organisations, providing an ongoing forum for collaboration, knowledge sharing and the identification of evolving data needs.
Trust is fundamental to the production of official statistics. Under the Statistics Act 1993, the CSO is legally required to protect the confidentiality of all information entrusted to it. This commitment is reinforced through the CSO's Trust and Transparency framework, which sets out the Office's commitment to confidentiality, professional independence, transparency, quality and integrity. These principles underpin every stage of the statistical process, from data collection and processing to analysis and dissemination, helping to maintain public confidence in official statistics. The CSO's internal Ethics Group further supports this commitment by providing advice and oversight on ethical considerations relating to statistical activities, ensuring that data is collected, used and shared responsibly and in the public interest.
The CSO also recognises that Official Statistics deliver greatest value when they are accessible and understandable to everyone. Through clear publications, interactive data tools, open data services and accessible communication, the Office seeks to make official statistics relevant to citizens, supporting informed public debate, evidence-based decision-making and greater statistical literacy. This commitment reflects both the CSO Statement of Strategy and the Trust and Transparency principles by ensuring that official statistics remain a trusted public good that serves the needs of society.
Overall, many of the principles contained in the Copenhagen Framework are already reflected in the CSO's existing approaches to stakeholder engagement, trust, transparency and collaboration. Any future consideration of the use of citizen-generated data within Ireland's official statistics system would fall to the CSO in the exercise of its independent statistical functions and in accordance with international statistical standards and national legislative requirements.
