European Statistical System (ESS)

The majority of the CSO's work programme is driven by the mandatory requirements of EU Directives and Regulations and, in particular, in respect of our participation in the European Statistics Code of Practice.

EU statistical requirements are laid down in sector-specific legislation; the majority of which are mandatory on member states under Council Regulations and Directives.  The principal provisions are listed at https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/european-statistical-system/programmes-and-activities/legislation-in-force.

CSO Corporate Governance Framework

Corporate Governance is the way that organisations are directed and controlled and it is central to the effective operation of any organisation.  It is vitally important in ensuring that the CSO effectively discharges its statutory obligations.

The 2014 Civil Service Renewal Plan set out new arrangements for governance and accountability in the Civil Service.  A key action targeted enhanced governance arrangements in line with international best practice and introduced a common governance standard.  The CSO has published its Corporate Governance Framework setting out the way the Office makes decisions, implements policies and delivers on its mandate, its mission and its functions.

Peer Reviews

Official European statistics are regulated by the principles in the European Statistics Code of Practice, whose purpose is to ensure the quality and credibility of the data. These principles refer, among other things, to professional independence, the protection of confidentiality, the reliability of the results, their precision, timeliness, punctuality, accessibility, clarity, comparability and coherence.

The CSO undertook a peer review in February 2022. The Peer Review found that the CSO has set a clear direction set for the future of the CSO and the Irish Statistical System (ISS), the CSO has a committed workforce with a strong focus on cooperation, innovation, and a respect for statistical principles, the CSO has no compliance issues with the European Statistics Code of Practice (ES CoP) and that the CSO is widely known and trusted in society as being an independent producer of high-quality official statistics. Read the Peer Review Report Ireland 2022.