Spatial Data
Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) is the national mapping agency in the Republic of Ireland and is the leading source of authoritative geographic data in the country. The OSi provide a range of professional spatial data products such as land registry, planning packs, environmental reports, ortho photography, historical mapping, wind maps, large scale mapping, ortho rectified photographs, boundary data and height data.
To contact the OSi click here or phone +353 1 8025300
Land and Property Services Northern Ireland (LPS) produces a range of paper and digital Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland products. To find out more about maps of Northern Ireland, GeoHub NI, Pointer address database for Northern Ireland, Business Network, GI Consultancy, Positional Improvement and Copyright Licensing and Publishing please click here or phone +44 28 90514636
GeoDirectory: GeoDirectory is the most comprehensive and clear address database available of buildings in the Republic of Ireland.GeoDirectory was established by An Post and Ordnance Survey Ireland to identify the precise address and location of every residential and commercial property in the State.
The ultimate Irish address database, GeoDirectory assigns each property its own individual fingerprint – a unique, verified address in a standardised format, together with a precise geocode.
Click here to view the Geodirectory website
Statistical Data
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has a mandate for the collection, compilation, extraction and dissemination for statistical purposes of information relating to economic, social and general activities and conditions in the State. The CSO is also responsible for coordinating the official statistics of other public authorities and for developing the statistical potential of administrative records. In terms of spatial data and GIS mapping the primary datasets compiled by the CSO is the Census. To download the latest (2011) or historical census datasets for Ireland please click here
The CSO have also develop a mapping tool that will allow users to download the full suite of census data for particular areas. To access the tool, click here
Working in conjunction with the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO) at NUI Maynooth the CSO have developed a national mapping viewer for key variables at ED and SA level (130+ maps) and also developed individual census mapping tools for every Local and Regional Authority in the country. To access the tools, click here.
Boundary files in GIS format for Provinces, NUTS Boundaries, Administrative Counties, Electoral Divisions, Small Areas, 2007 Constituency Boundaries, Gaeltacht Areas, 2008 Local Electoral Areas, Legal Town and Cities and Settlements are also available for download on the CSO website. Click here to agree to disclaimer and download data.
To contact the CSO please click here or phone +353 1 4984000
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) is the principal source of official statistics and social research on Northern Ireland´s population and socio-economic conditions. The statistics produced by the Agency inform the policy process within Government, research within Academia and contribute to debate in the wider community.
For information on census data and census spatial boundaries for Northern Ireland please click here
NISRA also host the Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service (NINIS) which provides free access to statistical and locational information relating to small areas across Northern Ireland. Information is available across a range of themes including Population, Social and Welfare, Agriculture & Education. Users will be able to obtain an area profile by entering a postcode or by selecting an area to view. Click here for access
To access and download Northern Ireland geographical boundaries (Postcodes, Grid Squares, Settlements, Peacelines, Census boundaries etc) from NISRA please click here
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has responsibilities for a wide range of licensing, enforcement, monitoring and assessment activities associated with environmental protection. The EPA is an excellent resource for environmental data in Ireland and hosts a EPA Geoportal site that allows users to search for data, browse maps and download data etc. Datasets are available on Corine Landcover, Soils, EPA Licensed Facilities, Water, Water Quality and Mines.
Click here for access to the main EPA Geoportal site
INSPIRE and Open Data
Irish Spatial Data Exchange (ISDE): The Irish Spatial Data Exchange is a Discovery Service guided by the INSPIRE Directive. A discovery service makes it possible to search for spatial datasets, services and applications on the basis of the content of the corresponding metadata (ie. description) and to display the content of the metadata. The INSPIRE Directive aims to establish an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community, to allow public access to environmental information and re-use of public sector information.
The loss of time and resources in searching for spatial data or establishing whether data may be used for a particular requirement is a key obstacle to the full exploitation of data available. The description of available spatial data resources and services in the form of metadata is the foundation for building a Spatial Data Infrastructure.
Discovery of datasets is made by simple searches which are on an individual parameter or a combination of parameters such as keyword(s), resource type(s), data owner(s), INSPIRE theme(s), date range and geographic extent searches.
Development of the exchange has been funded by the Information Society Fund, the DCENR Change and Innovation Fund and the Marine Institute.
Organisations providing information to the exchange including the following:
- All Island Research Observatory NUI Maynooth
- Coastal and Marine Research Centre
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Department of the Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht
- Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Geological Survey of Ireland
- Local Authorities
- Marine Institute
- National Transport Authority
- Ordnance Survey Ireland
- Petroleum Affairs Division
- Property Registration Authority of Ireland
To access the ISDE click here
DubLinked: Dublinked has been created to harness this rich resource of information, and to combine it with people who want to be innovative, to be creative, to think about new ways to do things in cities. Dublinked brings together the experts working at the coal-face, have them explain the challenges they are facing – whether it be in delivering water during a deep winter freeze or ensuring the traffic keeps flowing – and see if fresh eyes and innovative thinking can find new solutions. These are not solutions just for Dublin.
The Dublinked website contains a Datastore that allows the download of OpenData in Dublin and Ireland, a gallery of Apps that have been created using OpenData and a listings of upcoming activities.
Click here for access
Fingal Open Data: Fingal Open Data has been created by Fingal County Council to enable citizens to access data relating to Fingal. We will provide access to data from Fingal County Council and other public sector organisations that publish Fingal related data. Citizens are free to access and use this data as they wish, free of charge, in accordance with the PSI general licence. Use of any published data is subject to Data Protection legislation. Fingal Open Data was launched in November 2010 and is the first Open Data website in Ireland. We hope that following this initiative, other public sector bodies in Ireland will also release their data as Open Data.
To view the datasets available on Fingal Open Data click here
GIS and Mapping Websites
All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO): The All Island Research Observatory is a research unit and interactive spatial data website based in the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. AIRO seeks to produce all-island, spatial datasets and specialist tools to aid their analysis and to undertake academic and applied mapping research. AIRO aims to act as a single point of access to a wide variety of spatial data and information about the various regions of Ireland. The intended audience of this site are planners, policy makers, researchers and those interested in gaining an understanding of the dynamics that are shaping the island of Ireland today.
AIRO provides access to hundreds of free to use mapping tools. Examples of such are as follows:
AIRO Census Mapping Toolkits, click here
AIRO Accessibility Mapping, click here
AIRO National House Price Mapping, click here
AIRO Data Vizualisations (Census, Regional Planning Indicators etc), click here
For more information you can contact AIRO by clicking here
Bio-Diversity Ireland: The Data Centre has developed an online mapping system, Biodiversity Maps, which provides access to data on the distribution of Ireland’s biological diversity. The mapping system provides access to high quality information on Ireland’s biodiversity. Use the system to find out what is known about the different species that occur in Ireland, where our protected and threatened species occur, and who is recording biodiversity.
To access the site click here
DecisionMap: DecisionMap has been created by Ordnance Survey Ireland and Twelve Horses with the goal of encouraging enhanced use of publically available data to aid decision making in the public and private sector. The site uses mapping services from Ordnance Survey Ireland in partnership with interactive visualisations created using the VIZI platform from Twelve Horses. The maps and visualisations use multiple sources including data collated by the Central Statistics Office provided through the National University of Ireland Maynooth. DecisionMap.ie is designed for decision makers everywhere. Specifically for those in both the public and private sectors who make decisions based on complex statistical information about Ireland.
To access DecisionMap, click here
Geological Survey Ireland: The GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF IRELAND (GSI), founded in 1845, is the National Earth Science Agency. It is responsible for providing geological advice and information, and for the acquisition of data for this purpose. GSI produces a range of products including maps, reports and databases and acts as a knowledge centre and project partner in all aspects of Irish geology.
GSI is a division of the Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources (DCMNR) and has about 60 multidisciplinary staff.
The GSI has a variety of public and bespoke map viewers for generic data viewing, querying and download. Data downloads include: Bedrock geology, bedrock boreholes, karst features, mineral locations and quarry directory, INFOMAR Lidar Suvey etc
To view the site click here
MyPlan: MyPlan.ie is a free and easy to use public information system about the development plan or local area plan in your local area. The aim of Myplan.ie is to create a one stop shop for information about plans and also to provide other information which is relevant to planning decision-making (census, heritage sites, patterns of housing development etc).
Myplan.ie is an initiative of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on behalf of each of the 88 planning authorities across the country. The local authorities will ensure that the information is kept up to date as possible.
The Department, with local authorities and other public bodies are working to ensure that, over time, Myplan.ie.will expand to incorporate information about other aspects of the planning system such as information about planning applications and other planning matters being handled by local authorities and An Bord Pleanála.
To access MyPlan click here
Marine Digital Atlas: The atlas is a comprehensive resource for coastal and marine information and spatial data in Ireland. Here you will find an overview of topics related to the Irish coast, as well as an interactive atlas where you can choose layers from various organisations to view and query. For professionals interested in spatial data you can search the database of available layers, view metadata, and in some cases download data.
To view the atlas click here
National Parks and Wildlife Service: The role of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, amongst others, is to secure the conservation of a representative range of ecosystems and maintain and enhance populations of flora and fauna in Ireland, to implement the EU Habitats and Birds Directive and to designate and advise on the protection of National Heritage Areas.
The NPWS website provides access to downloading spatial data on Designated Sites, Habitats and Species data, click here. The site also hosts an excellent NPWS mapping viewer, click here to access
National Monuments Service: The National Monuments Service is part of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and plays a key role in the protection of our archaeological heritage. The National Monuments Service provides users with access to a very detailed mapping viewer that contains all archaeology records in Ireland.
To access the mapping viewer please click here
PobalMaps: Pobal’s mission is to promote social inclusion, reconciliation and equality through integrated social and economic development within communities. Pobal is a not-for-profit organisation with charitable status that manages various funding programmes on behalf of the Irish Government and the EU. Pobal encourages the piloting of new initiatives and are committed to contributing to policy development through the lessons learnt from the programmes they manage. The main mapping element to Pobal is the excellent PobalMaps website (designed by Compass Infomatics)
This publically available online GIS includes the Pobal-Haase and New Measures of Deprivation indices and a selection of other relevant datasets. To get access to the site click here
Wind Atlas: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s Wind Atlas is a digital map of Ireland’s wind energy resource. It provides detailed information on wind speeds, electricity transmission and distribution networks for specific locations around Ireland at national and county levels. Ireland has one of the greatest wind energy resources in Europe and it is important this is exploited to maximum advantage. The wind atlas can assist all those concerned with the wind planning process and be of great use to developers and policy makers alike. It is currently used by local authorities to help identify areas suitable for wind energy developments.
SEAI hopes to increase the usefulness of this atlas to a wider audience, helping to inform the public and educate our children about the nature and extent of Ireland’s wind energy resources.
To access the Wind Atlas click here