Open Data

The ERC is committed to promoting transparency, accountability, and innovation through responsible data sharing. In line with the EU Open Data Directive and Ireland’s national open data strategy, the ERC makes research datasets available for public use where it is lawful, ethical, and aligned with the Centre’s mission and strategy.

The datasets we share typically arise from large-scale national and international assessments, survey research, and evaluation studies conducted by the ERC. These include anonymised student achievement data, school-level contextual information, survey responses from teachers and principals, and other non-personal administrative datasets. Before release, all data undergo a rigorous review and anonymisation process to ensure that individuals, schools, and other identifiable units cannot be traced. This work reflects our strong commitment to data protection and responsible research practices. Where datasets contain sensitive or potentially identifiable information, access may instead be provided through controlled arrangements that balance openness with confidentiality.

By sharing data openly, the ERC supports a wider ecosystem of educational research. Policymakers, academics, students, and the general public can use these datasets to generate new insights, inform decision-making, and deepen understanding of Ireland’s education system. Open data promotes collaboration, reduces duplication of effort, and enables independent validation of research findings—contributing to a more robust evidence base.

Through our open data practices, the ERC aims to foster a culture of shared knowledge and public value. We believe that accessible, high-quality educational data can drive meaningful improvement in teaching, learning, and policy, while upholding the highest standards of integrity and data stewardship.

PISA Data

The OECD publishes the full set of responses from PISA for individual students, school principals and parents. These files will be of use to statisticians and professional researchers who would like to undertake their own analysis of the PISA data. The files available on this page include background questionnaires, data files in ASCII format (from 2000 to 2012), codebooks, compendia and SAS™ and SPSS™ data files in order to process the data.

PIRLS Data

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) assesses the reading achievement of pupils in Fourth class (or the equivalent grade level) in countries around the world. PIRLS is a project of the International Association for the ‎Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), and is managed at an international level by the TIMSS and PIRLS ‎International Study Center at Boston College. Ireland participated for the first time in 2011. In 2016, Ireland was one of 14 countries to administer an additional computer-based assessment of digital literacy in a simulated internet environment, called ePIRLS.

TIMSS Data

TIMSS (the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) is a project of the International Association for the ‎Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA).  Within each participating country, a National ‎Research Centre manages the study.  In Ireland, this role is filled by the Educational ‎Research Centre.  TIMSS ‎takes place every four years since 1995. Ireland has participated in the 1995, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023, and 2027 cycles.

This data is made available by the IEA. By accessing the Data Repository and the IDB Analyzer, you indicate that you agree to the terms and conditions associated with their use. Please read the Disclaimer and License Agreement for full details.