How using mapping can help decision making
A GIS is about processing information to help make an informed decision. Without actually knowing it the general public and businesses are using GIS on a daily basis. GIS has been used for hundreds of years however, in the past using GIS was a manual process but technology has allowed this to become a digital process. When Geographical Information (GI) is used in conjunction with location (by using maps), a link is created between diverse datasets that can concern, people, places or things.
Visual information in a GIS system can help it to be more easily understood and explained. For instance, if a council wants feedback on a development plan from residents, showing this information such as schools, parks, planned housing and roads all displayed on a map can help the resident understand the impact the plans will have on them.
As technology has progressed, GIS can be used through online or cloud services that are now available. This reduces the need for technical or IT skills that would have been required in the past. This means more people in the organisation can have access to use GIS to make decisions. It also reduces the IT spend required by a business for its strategic planning.
So whether you are looking for restaurants in a particular location or trying to grow your business, GIS can help you do what you want to do. The key to GIS is being able to make good informed decisions.
It’s not that GIS should be part of your life or business, it’s more that it is. The key question is whether you understand how to harness the values from it.
It is Ordnance Survey Ireland policy to make our data available for the purpose of education, research and development. Significant discounts apply in most cases for relevant projects.
In order to process your application, please fill in the form below and we will get back to you with what we can do for you. Download this OSi MapInfo Sample Data User Guide for more information.
Academic Licence – Terms and Conditions
Guide to Applying for Academic Licence
LiDAR
GIS Layers
Ortho Photography
The current format of our data
The Ordnance Survey (OSi) is renowned for its paper maps. In the last ten years OSi and Geographic Information Science (GIS) are now inextricably linked. The OSi data is compatible with various Geographic Information Systems as well as Computer-Aided Design Systems (CAD). These two systems are two ways to display maps on your computer desktop. The various map formats that can be supplied include the following;
Dwg. Dxf. Ntf. Shp. File gdb. Excel. Ascii. Tiff.
URL links in both WMS and REST access via MapGenie supply.
With the addition of the new Prime2 structure the data will be available in even more formats. The benefit of being able to easily display maps on your computer, in the map format that you prefer, is that the OSi map suits your specific project needs. The employees of OSi are highly skilled in GI and can provide GI solutions and advice for your specific projects queries.
Licence application form for sample data set
Ordnance Survey Ireland strongly encourages the use of our data for educational and Research & Development purposes. Please fill in the form below so that we can begin to process your application.
Contact us for samples of our data sets. For more information please email Digital Sales at digitals@osi.ie or low call 1890 674627
Restriction of use & copyright information
Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) maps, data and publications are copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland and Government of Ireland and are protected under the terms of the Copyright Acts.
Anyone wishing to reproduce OSI material, or use it as a basis for their own publications, must obtain prior permission from OSI.
Please download this PDF which will explain Terms & Conditions of use of our data.