Research Data Governance Board (RDGB)

A key safeguard in this mechanism to facilitate access to data in the Health Research Data Centre is the Research Data Governance Board (RDGB). The RDGB acts as a central point for application receipt, screening, review, and prioritisation of data requests prior to accessing the CSO service, which then facilitates access to these data, incorporating pseudonymisation and data linkage.

The RDGB will oversee a transparent process to facilitate secure and controlled access to the data for the purposes of conducting statistical analyses to facilitate research by:

• Determining the eligibility of the applicants, both individual applicants and the research organisations
• Determining the validity of the research in addressing health related research
• Providing recommendations to the CSO on access to its supported service to use the Health Research Data Centre
• Monitoring the demand for and use of the Health RDC and its supporting CSO service
• Informing wider discussion on a health data access and linkage service for Ireland

Only applications that have been approved by the RDGB and where following two approvals

• Evidence of Research Ethics Committee (REC) approval and
• Health Research Consent Declaration Committee approval, if no explicit consent in place

are received ,will be recommended to be reviewed by the CSO. 

The CSO will issue final approval for access to relevant data.

General information

The Research Data Governance Board (RDGB) meets on a regular basis to review researcher requests to access the Health Research Data Centre.

This is a rolling call for applications.
To be considered at an RDGB meeting, an application must first be reviewed by the RDGB Secretariat. This process will take approximately 5 working days.
Only valid applications that are considered to be within scope will be forwarded by the Secretariat to RDGB members approximately 10 working days in advance of a scheduled meeting.
The number of applications reviewed at each meeting may be capped.
Applicants will be informed of the RDGB meeting where their application will be reviewed, following the initial CSO preliminary review.

RDGB Secretariat

The RDGB Secretariat is provided by the CSO and supports the RDGB in all aspects of its work. The Secretariat is responsible for the application process to enable researchers seek a recommendation on access to the Health Research Data Centre.

This Secretariat shall:

• Act as the central point of contact and guidance for the health research community
• Support the RDGB’s activities
• Facilitate and manage the process for applying for access to the Health Research Data Centre Researcher Microdata Files (RMFs)
• Monitor decisions made
• Oversee the standard operating procedures of the RDGB

The Terms of Reference for the RDGB can be accessed ToR.

Email: RDGB Secretariat: HealthRDC@cso.ie