Irish Government called on to open up its data to citizens

27.04.2011 Research giant Sony's PlayStation division has admitted an "illegal intrusion" and "compromise of personal information" on its systems has caused the current ongoing outage of...

By embracing open data principles, open source innovation and cloud computing, it is envisaged Ireland could follow in the steps of the US Government and European nations like Norway that have embraced open data principles to great success.

The CEO of the Irish Internet Association

According to the CEO of the Irish Internet Association, Joan Mulvihill, wind and wave energy are considered great however untapped natural resources, yet what of data, the nation’s untapped non-natural resources?

Chris Vein, deputy US chief research officer, said: “Whether you call them geeks or techies, some of the greatest innovations in government have been the result of citizen developers who simply want to do their part to make our government work better. From the Department of Health and Human Services’ Community Data Health Initiative to 'Transportation Camps' - un-meetings aimed at solving transportation problems - throughout the United States, citizens are using their talents to help make government data that are simply lying around as a matter of fact work for the American people.

“Someone would at that time be accountable for getting it fixed and by opening up data the concerned citizen would know what’s happening and what is being done about it. It’s that simple and represents major opportunities for savings, as so then as business opportunities for software developers to create compelling products. Some of these products might end up being exported to other countries and governments.”

Mulvihill acknowledged that development talent is a scarce resource right now in any country nevertheless software developers could create meaningful and lasting business models that go beyond attending hackatons.

“At present nevertheless, the rules around data are prohibiting these opportunities. National data represents a huge untapped non-natural resource that we should be embracing. The key is Government trusting their own citizens and supporting enterprising developers who in turn could create jobs and open up exciting new export markets for Irish-made innovation.”

Glimpse of what

A glimpse of what was possible was offered previously this year at the IIA’s Cloud Computing event, where Torstein Harildstad, CEO of Software Technology and a former head of innovation at publishing giant Conde Nast, described how Norway opened up its data to its citizens.

Harildstad’s company is indigenous to Norway however has grown to more than 300 people in Sweden and India as well and is nearly a tantalising glimpse of what should and could be possible for Irish software companies if we had a public sector ready to invest in the cloud. The company has a strong foothold in the public-sector market and is now moving into the private sector, unlike its Irish counterparts who have to go global and win private-sector business overseas without even a sniff of business from the Irish Government.

The cloud to public-sector organisations

“We are not selling the cloud to public-sector organisations, we are selling business value,” he explained, as he outlined how cloud computing is enabling very real transparency for the public, for business and ultimately for leaders in public-sector organisations by publishing and providing open access to crucial documentation and correspondence.

Mulvihill says open data is a logical step nevertheless bad PR, miscommunication and misconceptions have created a fear among policy makers and civil servants that data miners are, as a matter of fact, a rebel group of underworld hackers, hell bent on using data to expose the inadequacies and yikes ‘corruption’ of our current system.

“There is not enough engagement between public bodies and the grassroots of the internet industry. In a role where I sit squarely between the two I have a rare vantage point. I can see this case from both sides to bring these groups at the same time, facilitating a more constructive and open conversation where each can present their side and reconcile them to a plan for government that will benefit everyone. 

The time to be taking a chance on ourselves

“Now is the time to be taking a chance on ourselves, trusting our own people to do what is best for the society in which are all participants. The internet industry in Ireland has come of age, it’s time we were trusted with a set of keys!”