Former titles of Departments of State (Ireland)

Last updated February 04, 2023

This is a list of former titles of Departments of State in Ireland. The Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 established eleven Departments of State.^[1] The titles of two of these were amended by an Act in 1928, and an Act in 1939 allowed further changes to the titles and responsibilities of Departments to be made by order of the government.^[2] The titles and responsibilities of departments are often changed by the government. In many instances, the legal successor of a department is not one which currently holds responsibilities for some or any of the same areas. Further departments were established by later amendments to the Ministers and Secretaries Act. The process of renaming of departments and transfer of responsibilities are detailed on the page for each department.

The titles of the Departments of Finance, Defence, Rural and Community Development, and Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science have not changed since their establishment.

Title	Period used	Immediate legal successor	Current departments with functions
Agriculture	1928–1965	Agriculture and Fisheries	Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Agriculture	1977–1987	Agriculture and Food	Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Agriculture and Fisheries	1965–1977	Agriculture	Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Agriculture and Food	1987–1993	Agriculture, Food and Forestry	Agriculture, Food and the Marine
	1997–1999	Agriculture, Food and Rural Development	Agriculture, Food and the Marine Rural and Community Development
	2002–2007	Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	2007–2011	Agriculture, Food and the Marine	Agriculture, Food and the Marine Rural and Community Development
Agriculture, Food and Forestry	1993–1997	Agriculture and Food	Agriculture, Food and the Marine Environment, Climate and Communications
Agriculture, Food and Rural Development	1999–2002	Agriculture and Food	Agriculture, Food and the Marine Rural and Community Development
Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht	1993–1997	Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht	2011–2016	Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands	1997–2002	Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affair	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Rural and Community Development Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs	2016–2017	Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Rural and Community Development Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Arts, Sport and Tourism	2002–2010	Tourism, Culture and Sport	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Business, Enterprise and Innovation	2017–2020	Enterprise, Trade and Employment	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Children and Youth Affairs	2011–2020	Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth	Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Communications	1984–1991	Lapsed in 1991	Environment, Climate and Communications Transport
Communications, Climate Action and Environment	2016–2020	Environment, Climate and Communications	Environment, Climate and Communications
Communications, Energy and Natural Resources	2007–2016	Communications, Climate Action and Environment	Environment, Climate and Communications
Communications, Marine and Natural Resources	2002–2007	Communications, Energy and Natural Resources	Agriculture, Food and the Marine Environment, Climate and Communications
Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs	2010–2011	Children and Youth Affairs	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Rural and Community Development
Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs	2002–2010	Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Justice and Equality Rural and Community Development
Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht	2017–2020	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Economic Planning and Development	1977–1980	Energy	Finance
Education	1924–1997	Education and Science	Education
Education and Science	1997–2010	Education and Skills	Education
Education and Skills	2010–2020	Education	Education
Employment Affairs and Social Protection	2017–2020	Social Protection	Social Protection
Energy	1980–1981	Industry and Energy	Environment, Climate and Communications
Energy	1983–1993	Tourism and Trade	Environment, Climate and Communications
Enterprise and Employment	1993–1997	Enterprise, Trade and Employment	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Social Protection
Enterprise, Trade and Employment	1997–2010	Enterprise, Trade and Innovation	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Social Protection Foreign Affairs
Enterprise, Trade and Innovation	2010–2011	Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Social Protection Foreign Affairs
Environment	1977–1997	Environment and Local Government	Environment, Climate and Communications Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Environment and Local Government	1997–2003	Environment, Heritage and Local Government	Environment, Climate and Communications Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Environment, Heritage and Local Government	2003–2011	Environment, Community and Local Government	Environment, Climate and Communications Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Environment, Community and Local Government	2011–2016	Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government	Environment, Climate and Communications Housing, Local Government and Heritage Rural and Community Development
Equality and Law Reform	1993–1997	Lapsed in 1997	Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Justice
External Affairs	1924–1971	Foreign Affairs	Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs and Trade	2011–2020	Foreign Affairs	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Foreign Affairs
Fisheries	1924–1928	Lands and Fisheries	Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Fisheries	1977–1978	Fisheries and Forestry	Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Fisheries and Forestry	1978–1986	Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry	Agriculture, Food and the Marine Environment, Climate and Communications
Gaeltacht	1956–1993	Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Health and Children	1997–2011	Health	Health Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government	2016–2017	Housing, Planning and Local Government	Housing, Local Government and Heritage Rural and Community Development
Housing, Planning and Local Government	2017–2020	Housing, Local Government and Heritage	Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Industry and Commerce	1924–1977	Industry, Commerce and Energy	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Environment, Climate and Communications
Industry and Commerce	1986–1993	Enterprise and Employment	Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Industry, Commerce and Energy	1977–1980	Industry, Commerce and Tourism	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Environment, Climate and Communications
Industry, Commerce and Tourism	1980–1981	Trade, Commerce and Tourism	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Industry and Energy	1981–1983	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Environment, Climate and Communications
Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism	1983–1986	Industry and Commerce	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Foreign Affairs Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation	2011–2017	Business, Enterprise and Innovation	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Justice, Equality and Law Reform	1997–2010	Justice and Law Reform	Justice
Justice and Law Reform	2010–2011	Justice and Equality	Justice
Justice and Equality	2011–2020	Justice	Justice Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Labour	1966–1993	Equality and Law Reform	Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Lands and Agriculture	1924–1928	Agriculture	Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Lands and Fisheries	1928–1934	Lands	Agriculture, Food and the Marine Environment, Climate and Communications
Lands	1934–1977	Fisheries	Environment, Climate and Communications
Local Government	1947–1977	Environment	Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government and Public Health	1924–1947	Local Government	Health Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Marine	1987–1997	Marine and Natural Resources	Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Marine and Natural Resources	1997–2002	Communications, Marine and Natural Resources	Agriculture, Food and the Marine Environment, Climate and Communications
Posts and Telegraphs	1924–1984	Abolished in 1984	Environment, Climate and Communications
President of the Executive Council	1924–1937	Taoiseach	Taoiseach
Public Enterprise	1997–2002	Transport	Environment, Climate and Communications Transport
Public Expenditure and Reform	2011–2023	Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform	Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform
Public Service	1973–1987	Transport	Finance
Social and Family Affairs	2002–2010	Social Protection	Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Social Protection
Social, Community and Family Affairs	1997–2002	Social and Family Affairs	Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Social Protection Rural and Community Development
Social Welfare	1947–1997	Social, Community and Family Affairs	Social Protection
Supplies	1939–1945	Abolished in 1945	Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Trade, Commerce and Tourism	1981–1983	Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Transport	1980–1984	Abolished in 1984	Transport
Transport and Power	1959–1977	Tourism and Transport	Environment, Climate and Communications Transport
Tourism and Trade	1993–1997	Tourism, Sport and Recreation	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Tourism, Culture and Sport	2010–2011	Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Transport
Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry	1986–1987	Marine	Agriculture, Food and the Marine Environment, Climate and Communications Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Tourism and Transport	1977–1980	Transport	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Transport
Tourism and Transport	1987–1991	Transport, Transport and Communications	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Transport
Tourism, Sport and Recreation	1997–2002	Arts, Sport and Tourism	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Tourism, Tourism and Sport	2011–2020	Transport	Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Transport
Tourism, Transport and Communications	1991–1993	Transport, Energy and Communications	Environment, Climate and Communications Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Transport
Transport, Energy and Communications	1993–1997	Public Enterprise	Environment, Climate and Communications Transport

Related Research Articles

There were two Governments of the 21st Dáil, which was elected at the 1977 general election on 16 June 1977. The 15th Government of Ireland was led by Jack Lynch as Taoiseach, while the 16th Government of Ireland was led by Charles Haughey. Both were single-party majority Fianna Fáil governments.

The Government of the 12th Dáil or the 4th Government of Ireland was the government of Ireland formed after the 1944 general election held on 30 May. It was a single-party Fianna Fáil government led by Éamon de Valera as Taoiseach. Fianna Fáil had been in office since the 1932 general election.

A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister who does not head a particular ministry. The sinecure is particularly common in countries ruled by coalition governments and a cabinet with decision-making authority wherein a minister without portfolio, while they may not head any particular office or ministry, may still receive a ministerial salary and has the right to cast a vote in cabinet decisions.

A Minister of State in Ireland is of non-cabinet rank attached to one or more Departments of State of the Government of Ireland and assists the Minister of the Government responsible for that Department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minister for Posts and Telegraphs</span> Former Irish government cabinet minister

The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs was the holder of a position in the Government of Ireland. From 1924 until 1984 – when it was abolished – the minister headed the Department of Posts and Telegraphs.

The Minister for Labour was originally a position in the Government of the Irish Republic, the self-declared state which was established in 1919 by Dáil Éireann, the parliamentary assembly made up of the majority of Irish MPs elected in the 1918 general election. Constance Markievicz was the first person to hold the post. The office did not continue into the Executive Council of the Irish Free State.

The Attorney General of Ireland is a constitutional officer who is the legal adviser to the Government and is therefore the chief law officer of the State. The attorney general is not a member of the Government but does participate in cabinet meetings when invited and attends government meetings. The current attorney general is Rossa Fanning, SC.

The Government of Ireland is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.

The Department of the Taoiseach is the government department of the Taoiseach, the title in Ireland for the head of government. It is based in Government Buildings, the headquarters of the Government of Ireland, on Merrion Street in Dublin.

The Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures was the title of Frank Aiken as a member of the Government of Ireland from 8 September 1939 to 18 June 1945 during The Emergency — the state of emergency in operation in Ireland during World War II. The Minister was intended to handle Civil Defence and related measures, allowing the Minister for Defence to concentrate on matters relating to the regular Army. The office was also responsible for handling wartime censorship.

The Ministers and Secretaries Acts 1924 to 2020 is the legislation which governs the appointment of ministers to the Government of Ireland and the allocation of functions between departments of state. It is subject in particular to the provisions of Article 28 of the Constitution of Ireland. The Acts allow for the appointment of between 7 and 15 Ministers of Government across 17 Departments, and for the appointment of up to 20 junior ministers, titled Ministers of State, to assist the Ministers of Government in their powers and duties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Department of Finance (Ireland)</span> Irish government department

The Department of Finance is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Finance and is assisted by two Minister of State.

The Department of Justice is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Justice. The department's mission is to maintain and enhance community security and to promote a fairer society in Ireland.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is a department of the Government of Ireland. According to the department, its mission is to "lead the sustainable development of a competitive, consumer focused agri-food sector and to contribute to a vibrant rural economy and society". It is led by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The Department of Education is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Education.

The Department of Health is a department of the Government of Ireland. The department's mission is to "support, protect and empower individuals, families and their communities to achieve their full health potential by putting health at the centre of public policy and by leading the development of high quality, equitable and efficient health and personal social services." The department is led by the Minister for Health.

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is a department of the Government of Ireland that is responsible for the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors and regulates, protects and develops the natural resources of Ireland. The head of the department is the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

The Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.

References

Alphabetical list of orders made under section 6 (1) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939 (change of name and transfer of functions between Departments of State)

↑ Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, s. 1: Establishment of the Departments of State ( No. 16 of 1924, s. 1 ). Signed on 21 April 1924. Act of the Oireachtas .Retrieved 27 September 2019, from Irish Statute Book .
↑ Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939, s. 6: Divers powers of the Government in relation to Departments of State ( No. 36 of 1939, s. 6 ). Signed on 21 December 1939. Act of the Oireachtas .Retrieved 16 November 2019, from Irish Statute Book .

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, s. 1: Establishment of the Departments of State ( No. 16 of 1924, s. 1 ). Signed on 21 April 1924. Act of the Oireachtas .Retrieved 27 September 2019, from Irish Statute Book .

[2] Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939, s. 6: Divers powers of the Government in relation to Departments of State ( No. 36 of 1939, s. 6 ). Signed on 21 December 1939. Act of the Oireachtas .Retrieved 16 November 2019, from Irish Statute Book .

[1]

[2]