https://www.irekia.euskadi.eus/en/pages/35827

Irekia

FAQ - Frecuently Asked Questions

Irekia

What is IREKIA-Open Government?

Irekia aims to report on the activity of the Basque Government so that the general public can participate actively and openly.  Furthermore, people can use this collaborative channel to request information and also to submit their petitions.

 

What are the three principles of open government?

  • Transparency

The Administration makes information and figures on its activity, actions, decisions, plans and intentions available in real time.

  • Participation.

The actions, legislation, decrees, measures or decisions taken by the Government are discussed, assessed and completed with the opinions of the citizens. People can also put forward their own proposals, ideas or queries to be discussed and analysed.

  • Collaboration

The Basque Government collaborates with the public, companies and the other Basque authorities, by providing innovative tools and new collaborative work methods. The Government listens to them and they work together to build a more connected society.

 

Does Irekia hold the Creative Commons by licence?

Yes, it does. This licence is the one chosen to provide legal coverage to the open government principle which enables the public to have access to the flow of information, multimedia and audiovisual material that is generated here. Thus, provided that the source and author is cited, its free use for any purpose is allowed.

 

Participation conditions

In which IREKIA sections can the general public participate?

Irekia has three participation and collaboration areas:

  • Government proposals: designed for the public to contribute their comments and doubts regarding the proposals, draft legislation or initiatives that the Government departments publish to gather input.
  • Citizen petitions: users can here submit their own petitions on the areas where the Basque Government works.  
  • News: the channel is supplied  daily with news relating to the Basque Government.  The general public can give their input by commenting on the new items and/or contributing opinions.

 

What is the process required for a person to submit a petition?

These are the steps to be followed to be able to take part and submit a petition?

  • Title of the proposal (maximum 100 characters)
  • Theme in question (maximum 200 characters)
  • Description of the objectives (maximum 500 characters)

 

What happens with any duplicated petitions?

Should a new petition be related to or be directly linked to a previously created one, the new petition will be rejected. Then, the user must identify the previous petition and make their comment there.

 

Who answers the questions of the general public?

Irekia, in conjunction with the Government’s ministries, decide which departmental area must review and answer the questions and ensure that the replies are given as promptly as possible.  

 

How are the Government proposals structured?

The Government's ministries foster participation in their initiatives by means of participative processes that are divided into four phases:

  • The Basque Government reports on its proposals by publishing multimedia material.
  • Anybody who is interested may then take part in the debate, express their opinions, put forward their arguments and vote for or against.
  • Users can sometimes suggest amendments by selecting words or phrases on the very texts of the proposed drafts.
  • Finally, the conclusions of the debate and the final document can be consulted on IREKIA.

 

Can the IREKIA platform be used to submit a petition on a specific matter?

No, it cannot. All petitions that are not comments or opinions about the activity of the Basque Government (e.g. submissions, requests for information, etc.) will be forwarded to the Citizen's Advice Service (ZUZENEAN) for their timely processing and/or response.

 

Can the Basque Government cancel a person’s access?

Yes, it can. The Basque Government may suspend and/or block at any time, and without any need for prior notice, those people who breach the conditions of use.  It may eliminate the user’s account and any information or, as applicable, deny access to certain files or to IREKIA itself. The Basque Government shall not be in any way liable for the cancellation of access to IREKIA.

 

Can IREKIA information be shared on social media?

Yes, it can. Social media are appropriate tools to disseminate the activity of the Government, and are also where the comments and opinions about the activity of the Basque Government are developed more smoothly.

 

Personal data and privacy

How are the data of the user protected?

The Basque Government protects personal data as established in the Spanish Personal Data Protection Act, its Enactment Regulations and the Basque Personal Data Protection Act. Information on the protection of personal data can be found in the IREKIA Privacy Policy.

 

Where are the personal data stored and can they be consulted?

The personal data collected are stored in files that are duly registered with the Basque Data Protection Agency in accordance with the relevant European, Spanish and Basque legislation. The user may check their effective registration, the ownership of the records and the purpose of the files at the Registry of the Basque Data Protection Agency.