The Geological Survey of Ireland is responsible for gathering, storing and disseminating geological information. It carries out its duties of gathering information by:

• field mapping and recording of data (which does not involve topographic surveying - that function is carried out by the Ordnance Survey). This may be part of a long-term systematic survey, or may take place as part of a specific project, for example a Groundwater Protection Scheme for a particular County;
• the compilation and interpretation of geological data gathered by others. The data may have been collected by university staff or students as part of academic research, it may be open-filed information from Mineral Exploration companies, or it might be reports of geotechnical investigations;
• the drilling of boreholes for stratigraphic data, quaternary sediments or aquifer characteristics, using its own drilling rig.

The GSI maintains an ever-growing store of earth-science information:

• paper maps and reports, ranging from the original sets of six-inch hand-coloured manuscript maps of the 19th Century, through reports submitted to GSI by outside bodies, to published reports and maps;
• physical materials, such rock samples, thin sections, an extensive fossil collection, and an enormous store of drill core;
• a library of earth sciences journals and books;
• digital information, which at present consists principally of metadatabases, but will be complemented over the next few years by digital versions of most current paper reports and maps, together with a country-wide Geographic Information System.

The geological information held by the GSI is used by staff to answer queries, produce reports, and compile special or series maps. The Public may also access these data, either via our free Document Management System or for a nominal handling charge.

This work is undertaken by Survey sections working within certain programme areas as detailed in the navigation bar on the left.  Please click on whichever one(s) may be of most interest to you.