The Irish Social Science Data Archive (ISSDA), based at University College Dublin and funded by Research Ireland since 2021, has formally announced the launch of ISSDA Dataverse – a modern, open-source platform that significantly enhances access to Ireland’s leading repository of quantitative social science data.
This milestone is supported by Research Ireland under the strategic Memorandum of Understanding which recognises ISSDA as a national centre for the acquisition, preservation, and dissemination of quantitative social science data.
The newly-launched Dataverse also aims to strengthen ISSDA’s mission to ensure access to high-quality datasets and to promote international comparative studies of Irish society and the economy.
Over 100 datasets are already available on the platform, including key collections from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), Sport Ireland, Healthy Ireland Survey and Department of Health and Higher Education Authority.
ISSDA is the National Service Provider in Ireland for the Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives (CESSDA) – one of three European Research Infrastructure Consortiums (ERICs) in which Research Ireland participates.
It focuses on promoting social science research results and supporting national and international research and cooperation on social science datasets.
The National Provider leads on integrating data generated in Ireland into the overall research infrastructure of CESSDA. ISSDA also plays a significant outreach role in publicising data sets and promoting literacy regarding quantitative data.
For data depositors, the platform offers DOI minting via DataCite, compliance with international metadata standards (DDI, CESSDA), and integration with ORCID and publication PIDs ensuring greater visibility and impact of Irish research outputs across Europe.
Aligned with European best practices through integration with the CESSDA Data Catalogue, the new platform offers a streamlined, user-friendly experience that supports FAIR data principles making data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.
Key Benefits for Irish researchers include:
- Seamless access via institutional logins
- Enhanced discoverability through standardised metadata and improved search functionality
- Grouped datasets by project or organisation for intuitive browsing
- Datasets downloadable in multiple formats, including RStudio-ready files
- Automatic citation generation in EndNote, RIS, and BibTeX formats
The launch is complemented by a redesigned ISSDA website, offering improved accessibility and navigation. As CESSDA Director, Dr Bonnie Wolff-Boenisch, noted, this represents “a better way of making data accessible”, while Arlene Healy, UCD Library’s Director of Collections and Digital Services, described the launch of Dataverse as “a significant milestone for ISSDA in supporting access, transparency and responsible stewardship of data for future generations.”
Training for data users and depositors will begin in Autumn 2025, with details to be shared via the ISSDA and Research Ireland website and social media channels.
Peter Brown, Director of Researcher Development in Research Ireland, said:
“By being a part of CESSDA, Ireland shares its expertise, learns from others and participates in internal and European funded projects. This new Dataverse will ensure that Irish quantitative datasets and international comparative studies are findable and reusable for researchers in Ireland and abroad.”