NI Open Gov

The Northern Ireland Open Government Network is a loose alliance of individual citizens and representatives of voluntary/community organisations aiming to engage in dialogue with the NI Executive to campaign for a more open form of government. We want government to be more transparent, participatory and accountable to the people it serves.

We aim to use the international Open Government Partnership as a vehicle to achieve this objective and are making links with similar civil society networks in the UK and Ireland.



OGN Members respond to the FOI Commission

1st March 2016
Following the publication of the Commission on Freedom of Information’s recommendations and the Government’s “preliminary views, members of the Open Government Network have issued the following responses. This post will be updated as new responses are published. Article 19 ARTICLE 19 WELCOMES GOVERNMENT DECISION NOT TO AMEND FOIA BUT CONCERNS REMAIN ARTICLE 19 welcomes the announcement of UK…
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Government responds to the Commission on Freedom of Information

1st March 2016
Matt Hancock (Minister for the Cabinet Office) laid the following written statement in Parliament in response to the “Independent Commission on Freedom of Information’s” final report: This government is committed to making government more transparent, so taxpayers can hold the state to account both on how their money is being spent and how decisions are…
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Freedom of Information Commission publishes recommendations

1st March 2016
The “Independent Commission on Freedom of Information”, established by the Government on 17 July 2015 to review the Freedom of Information Act, has published its findings and recommendations.  The Commission held a call for evidence, which received over 30,000 submissions, including from the Open Government Network and its members, as well as two oral evidence…
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Open Government: People can re-engage with politics. And politicians may be able to break the deadlock.

18th February 2016
http://sluggerotoole.com/2016/02/18/open-government-people-can-re-engage-with-politics-and-politicians-may-be-able-to-break-the-deadlock/ David McBurney and Jonathan Bell (NI Open Government Network) argue that the growing gap between citizens and government can be bridged by a more open, generative approach to involvement in government monitoring and participation in policy making.  There is a growing distance between people and their representatives and a general disaffection with politics. We are faced…
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NI Open Government Network – Written Briefing for NI Assembly Committee for Finance and Personnel – January 2016

4th February 2016
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NI Open Government Network e-Bulletin – December 2015

21st December 2015
The December 2015 issue of the NIOGN e-Bulletin can be viewed here.
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Draft theme narratives published for comment

17th December 2015
The development of the UK’s 2016-18 OGP National Action Plan is organised around a number of themes, each of which is being co-led by a government and civil society theme lead. To help guide the development of each theme, the theme leads have put together draft narratives that: Introduce the theme Set out the challenge it is…
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NI Open Government Network Factsheet – Anti-Corruption

17th December 2015
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NI Open Government Network Factsheet – Technology Innovation

17th December 2015
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NI Open Government Network Factsheet – Public Accountability

17th December 2015
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