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.



NIOGN Submission to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Inquiry ‘Devolution and democracy in Northern Ireland: dealing with the deficit’

24th January 2018
By David McBurney If an Executive cannot be restored, what options exist for restoring accountability and democracy in Northern Ireland? Are any of these models useful now or is a fresh approach required? Consociation – “the cooperation of different, especially antagonistic, social groups on the basis of shared power” – is difficult to achieve for…
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NIOGN presentation to CIPFA conference: How can organisations improve citizen engagement, to secure better policy outcomes and more empowered citizens?

24th January 2018
By David McBurney To view the presentation slides, please click here…
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Community Foundation announces funding for NI’s first Citizens’ Assembly

24th January 2018
(via the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland) The Community Foundation has added its support to plans for a Northern Ireland Citizens’ Assembly with funding of £30,000. Since 1979 the Foundation has been supporting innovative initiatives, focused on the role that ordinary citizens can play in dealing with the issues that matter most to them. The…
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Re-imagine Democracy Conference

22nd January 2018
Where: The Mac, Exchange Street, Belfast, BT1 2LS Access social media kit When: 9.45am – 4.30pm Thurs 15 March 2018 Registration: REGISTER FOR FREE* (See Privacy statement below) (Venue Accessibility Info) THIS EVENT HAS NOW PASSED. YOU CAN WATCH THE RECORDING OF THE WHOLE EVENT ON YOUTUBE HERE!   Imagine a country where decisions are…
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For public comment: UK Open Government National Action Plan 2016-18 Mid-term Self Assessment Report

17th November 2017
[This process has now ended] The documents below make up the UK’s mid-term self assessment report for its current Open Government National Action Plan 2016-18. This includes the report produced by the Cabinet Office covering the UK Government’s commitments, as well as the commitments from each of the devolved administrations. These documents will be available…
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Challenging the UK’s food system to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

1st November 2017
(via UKSSD) By Robin Hinks The Sustainable Development Goals offer us an opportunity to challenge a food system in the UK that is unhealthy, unfair and unsustainable. In this blog Robin Hinks from the Food Foundation explains why and how. Less healthy food products, calorie for calorie, are three times cheaper than healthier food products.…
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Three ways for businesses to support the Sustainable Development Goals

1st November 2017
(via UKSSD) By Colin Curtis There’s a lot of talk about why businesses need to get behind the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I’ve read countless articles on the economic opportunity associated with the goals, or the importance of industry support. The business case for supporting the SDGs is incredibly compelling. Improved brand, better customer relationships,…
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UK Stakeholders for Sustainable Development (UKSSD) Partner Update – October 2017

1st November 2017
To view the October 2017 issue of the UKSSD Partner Update, click here…
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NI Sustainable Development Goals website launched

31st October 2017
The NI Open Government Network is working in partnership with networks in England, Scotland and Wales to build the capacity of citizens and civil society to use open government approaches to progress the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A new website has been launched to support this initiative, please visit globalgoalsni.org for more information.
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Invitation to deliver the independent evaluation of the Open Government Pioneers UK project

19th October 2017
The UK Open Government Pioneers Project aims to raise understanding and awareness of the UN Sustainable Development Goals amongst citizens and decision makers and to encourage the use open government approaches to progress the Goals. The project is formally linked to the International Open Government Partnership. We are inviting bidders to deliver the independent evaluation of…
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