A NEW online mapping service, MapGenie, was unveiled yesterday by Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI).

MapGenie will provide online access to the most complete and highest quality map data available for Ireland from OSI and Land and Property Services Northern Ireland geodatabases, through an all-Ireland web mapping service.

MapGenie users will have easy and instant access to premium map data at a variety of scales for the entire island of Ireland, OSI said. OSI will house all the map information, and it will update customers’ views of this information as its database is expanded.

A number of public and private sector organisations already use MapGenie in its prototype form. OSI is collaborating with the Road Safety Authority and the Health Service Executive to produce a web-based road safety application that carries collision data on OSI maps at national, county and local levels by severity, year and type. The Department of the Environment is also working with the service.

“MapGenie is an important milestone for OSI. Using the latest technology, the new online service will support the development of national industry and assist public sector organisations, improve existing services as well as introduce new services,” OSI chief executive Geraldine Ruane said.

Hugh Mangan, business and marketing manager at OSI, said the service has been in prototype use with 15 to 20 clients over the past six months. OSI said groups managing property interests and insurers using geographic location techniques to improve pricing and risk assessment processes would use MapGenie.

The service was launched yesterday by Minister for Science, Technology, Innovation and Natural Resources, Conor Lenihan.