Mr. Gavin Sheridan:

Some kind of risk will always be attached to that. I think the benefits outweigh the risks. Websites like data.gov.uk or data.gov, which is the US version, publish very large amounts of data. I have published large amounts of data that I have obtained from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. I obtained and published all of its invoices relating to every line item of expenditure since it was established. I did the same for the Department of Finance. A kind of therapeutic process is happening, which is a good thing. I think the benefits far outweigh the risks. Ultimately, the canonical or original version of the data is on the website. People can make their own judgments on it. When a Department publishes spending data, for example, it can attach a note saying "here is why we spent it" or "here is some context relating to this data". All of that can be on a Government website.

I can have my own interpretation, but journalists and the public can make their own minds up and look at what the data says to them. They may take a different view on it. However, the original information should be made available.