‘Units’ in this database are national-level organisations which perform public functions under public authority. These include government departments, agencies, and commercial state-owned enterprises. For further details on the types of organisations included in the database, see the what we have done and why document.
Units can be searched by name, legal form, function, policy area, or date. On each unit’s page, information is available including dates of activity, alternate names, relevant legislation, related units, related events. and also data on characteristics such as legal form, policy area, function, accountability mechanisms, location, and parent bodies. For further details on the data recorded about each unit, see the Codebook
66 results
Name
| From
| To
| Description
| Source
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Stock Exchange Ltd. | 1995-05-30 | Roots stretch back to 1793 when the Exchange first opened for trading in Dublin. Before was known as the "Irish Unit of the International Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland Limited "; became known as the "Irish Stock Exchange Limited" on the basis of the Stock Exchange Act, 1995 | McGauran et al. 2005; www.ise.ie; Stock Exchange Act, 1995 | |
| Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General | 1923-01-11 | McGauran et al. 2005; http://audgen.gov.ie/; Comptroller and Auditor General Act, 1923; DÁIL EIREANN. Tuairisc Choiste ar Cheapa Árd-Sgrúdóra. 11th January, 1923 | ||
| Office of the Revenue Commissioners | 1923-02-21 | The Revenue Commissioners took over functions previously performed by two UK-wide bodies—the Commissioners of Inland Revenue and the Commissioners of Customs and Excise | McGauran et al. 2005; www.revenue.ie; S.I. No. 2/1923--Revenue Commissioners Order 1923, dated 21/2/1923; https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1923-02-20/13/ | |
| Office of the Ombudsman | 1983-07-07 | Legislation created the office in 1980; the first Ombudsman took up office in 1984 following passing of I.R. Uimh. 424/1983 — An tOrdú um an Acht Ombudsman, 1980 (An Lá Ceaptha), 1983. | McGauran et al. 2005; http://ombudsman.gov.ie/en/; The Ombudsman Act 1980; I.R. Uimh. 424/1983 — An tOrdú um an Acht Ombudsman, 1980 (An Lá Ceaptha), 1983. | |
| Criminal Assets Bureau | 1996-10-15 | http://www.garda.ie/cab.html; Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996 | ||
| Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner | 2000-01-20 | 2016-12-31 | Replaced by the International Protection Office | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.orac.ie/; Refugee Act 1996; S.I. No. 8/2000; www.ipo.gov.ie; International Protection Act 2015; S.I. No. 661/2016 - International Protection Act 2015 (Establishment Day) Order 2016 |
| Office of the Appeal Commissioners | 1968-03-26 | 2016-03-21 | Replaced Special Commissioners, replaced by the Tax Appeals Commission. | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.appealcommissioners.ie/; Finance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1968; Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997; Finance (Tax Appeals) Act 2015; S.I. No. 111/2016 |
| Irish Takeover Panel | 1997-04-29 | http://www.irishtakeoverpanel.ie/; Irish Takeover Panel Act 1997 | ||
| ERDF and Cohesion Fund Financial Control Unit | 1998-01-01 | 2006-06-01 | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.ndp.ie/; ERDF and Cohesion Fund Financial Control Unit Annual Reports 1999-2006; Dáil debates, Wednesday, 29 January 2014 - Industrial Development (Forfás Dissolution) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) | |
| North/South Ministerial Council | 1999-03-08 | McGauran et al. 2005; British-Irish Agreement Act 1999; http://www.northsouthministerialcouncil.org/ | ||
| Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB) | 1999-12-02 | http://www.seupb.org/; the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999; the North-South Co-operation (Implementation Bodies) Northern Ireland Order 1999 | ||
| National Forum on Europe | 2001-10-18 | 2009-04-01 | www.forumoneurope.ie/ | |
| National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission | 2001-04-02 | 2014-12-22 | Following the commencement of the relevant provisions of the National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act 2014, the NPRF‘s investment mandate ended on 22 December 2014 with the establishment of the Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), to which NPRC's assets were transferred. | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.nprf.ie/; National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000; National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act 2014; S.I. No. 586/2014 |
| Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland | 2003-05-01 | 2010-10-01 | Created through restructuring of the Central Bank. Merged with Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority to create the Central Bank of Ireland in 2010 | McGauran et al. 2005; Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Act 2003; www.centralbank.ie; Central Bank Reform Act 2010; S.I. No. 469/2010 |
| Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority | 2005-12-13 | http://www.iaasa.ie/; Companies (Auditing and Accounting) Act 2003; S.I. No 791 of 2005 | ||
| Irish Financial Services Appeals Tribunal | 2004-01-01 | http://www.ifsat.ie/; Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Acts 2003; S.I. No. 224/2008 | ||
| Financial Services Ombudsman Bureau | 2005-04-01 | 2018-01-01 | In January 2018 Financial Services Ombudsman Bureau and Office of the Pensions Ombudsman merged to form the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) | Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Act 2004; http://www.financialombudsman.ie/; www.fspo.ie; Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Act 2017; S.I. No. 524/2017 |
| Education Finance Board | 2006-02-17 | 2013-03-29 | The Commission to Inquire Into Child Abuse (Amendment) Act 2005; Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012; S.I. No. 96/2013; Written Answers, Wednesday, 22 January 2014, No. 80 - Departmental Bodies Establishment | |
| Department of Foreign Affairs (II) | 1971-03-03 | 2011-06-02 | http://www.dfa.ie/; S.I. No. 158/1971; S.I. No. 246/2011 | |
| Department of External Affairs | 1924-06-01 | 1971-03-03 | Became Department of Foreign Affairs | Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924; S.I. 158/1971; Coakley & Gallagher 2005 |
| National Property Services Regulatory Authority | 2006-12-01 | http://www.npsra.ie/; 'Debate on property regulation bill to start in Seanad next week' Irish Times, 14 May 2009; Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011 | ||
| Department of Economic Planning and Development | 1977-12-13 | 1980-01-20 | Functions transferred to Department of Finance, 1980 | Coakley & Gallagher 2005; Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1977; S.I. No. 12/1980 |
| Department of Finance | 1924-06-01 | Dept of Finance took over responsibility for e-government from Dept of Taoiseach in 2008 | http://www.finance.gov.ie/; Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924 | |
| Department of the President of the Executive Council | 1924-06-01 | 1937-07-01 | Renamed with adoption of Constitution | Coakley & Gallagher 2005; Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924; Constitution (Consequential Provisions) Act, 1937 |
| Department of the Public Service | 1973-11-01 | 1987-03-19 | Functions transferred to Department of Finance | Coakley & Gallagher 2005; Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1973; S.I. No. 83/1987 |
| Department of the Taoiseach | 1937-07-01 | http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/; Constitution (Consequential Provisions) Act, 1937 | ||
| Advisory Committee on Cultural Relations | 1949-01-01 | 2005-02-01 | Replaced by Culture Ireland | Dáil Éireann - Volume 127 - 21 November, 1951 - Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cultural Relations Committee; Dáil Debate - Vol. 647 No. 1, 13 Feb 2008 Q. 232 |
| Public Offices Commission | 1995-11-01 | 2001-12-10 | Replaced by Standards in Public Office Commission | Ethics in Public Office Act 1995; Standards in Public Office Act, 2001 |
| Agricultural Credit Corporation | 1927-09-30 | 2001-12-01 | Purchased by Rabobank | Agricultural Credit Act, 1927; Acc Bank Act, 1992; Acc Bank Act, 2001; Palcic and Reeves 2007; MacCarthaigh 2009 |
| Industrial Credit Corporation | 1933-10-04 | 2001-01-01 | Purchased by Bank of Scotland | Industrial Credit Act, 1933; ICC Bank Act, 1992; Palcic and Reeves 2007; FitzGerald, 1963; MacCarthaigh 2009 |
| Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board | 2002-06-05 | 2006-01-04 | Replaced by Dormant Accounts Board | McGauran et al. 2005; Dormant Account Acts 2001 and 2005 |
| Anglo Irish Bank | 2009-01-21 | 2011-10-14 | Nationalized in 2009, and on 14 October 2011, the name of Anglo Irish Bank Corporation Limited was changed to Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Limited, trading as IBRC. | Anglo-Irish Bank Corporation Act 2009; http://www.angloirishbank.ie/; Laeven & Valencia, 'Systemic Banking Crises Database: An Update', IMF Working Paper WP/12/163, p. 29. |
| Agency for Personal Service Overseas | 1974-03-28 | 2004-01-01 | In 2004 APSO was merged into the Irish government’s Development Cooperation Ireland (DCI) office | Dáil Éireann - Volume 482 - 12 November, 1997--Written Answers. - Non-Commercial Agencies; Dáil Éireann - Volume 642 - 22 November, 2007--Written Answers. - Departmental Agencies; http://web.archive.org/web/20020331052250/http://www.apso.ie/; Listed in McGauran et al. 2005 |
| Companies Registration Office | 1908-01-01 | Also Registrar of Friendly Societies (plan to formally merge) | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.cro.ie/; Companies Acts, 1908 To 1917; Companies (Re-Constitution of Records) Act, 1924; Registration of Business Names Act, 1963 | |
| Currency Commission | 1927-09-21 | 1943-02-01 | Replaced by Central Bank | Currency Act, 1927; Central Bank Act 1942; Pohl, M. & Freitag, S. (1994) 'Handbook on the history of European banks'. Aldershot: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. |
| Central Bank | 1943-02-01 | 2003-05-01 | Replaced Currency Commission, replaced by Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland | Central Bank Act 1942; Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Act 2003; S.I. No. 505/1942 |
| National Asset Management Agency | 2009-12-21 | http://www.nama.ie/; National Asset Management Agency Act, 2009 | ||
| Irish Public Bodies Mutual Insurances Ltd. | 1926-09-13 | Local Authorities (Mutual Assurance) Act, 1926; http://www.ipb.ie/ | ||
| Quit Rent Office | 1641-01-01 | 1943-01-01 | Absorbed into Irish Land Commission in 1943. | Dáil Éireann - Volume 70 - 30 March, 1938; Committee on Finance. - Vote 30—Quit Rent Office; Dáil Éireann - Volume 93 - 26 April, 1944--Estimates for Public Services. - Vote 52—Lands |
| Boundary Commission | 1924-11-06 | 1925-12-03 | Included Northern Irish and Irish Free State representatives | Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Eireann) Act, 1922; PRIME MINISTER'S ANNOUNCEMENT. HC Deb 03 December 1925 vol 188 cc2655-8 |
| Special Commissioners | 1842-01-01 | 1968-03-26 | Replaced by Appeal Commissioners | Finance Acts, 1923-1968; Dail Eireann - Volume 588 - 06 July 2004--Written Answers. - Departmental Agencies |
| Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | 2011-06-02 | 2020-09-24 | Succeeded by Department of Foreign Affairs (II) | http://www.dfa.ie/; S.I. No. 246/2011; S.I. No. 382/2020 |
| Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Limited | 2011-10-14 | 2013-02-07 | After the transfer of the business of Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS) to Anglo Irish Bank Corporation Limited on 1 July 2011, the Bank’s name was changed to Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Limited, and it traded as IBRC until going into special liquidation on 7 February 2013. | http://www.ibrc.ie/Media_centre/IBRC_news/Press_Releases/Press_Release_Pages/Change_of_Name_%E2%80%93_Anglo_Irish_Bank_Corporation_Limited.html; Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Act 2013; S.I. No. 36/2013; CRO, Registered Company No. 22045 |
| Irish Fiscal Advisory Council | 2011-06-01 | Established on an interim basis in June 2011, and put on statutory footing under the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2012. | http://www.fiscalcouncil.ie/; Written Answers - Departmental Bodies, 1 May 2012, Dáil Éireann Debate, Vol. 763 No. 3; Fiscal Responsibility Act 2012 | |
| Irish Life Ltd. | 2011-03-31 | 2013-07-18 | The Minister for Finance had a 100% direct shareholding in Irish Life and its subsidiary companies. Irish Life was sold in July 2013 to Canada’s Great-West Lifeco. | Statement by the Dept of Finance: http://finance.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=7295; Laeven & Valencia, 'Systemic Banking Crises Database: An Update', IMF Working Paper WP/12/163, p. 29.; 'State closes €1.3 billion sale of Irish Life to Canada’s Great-West Lifeco', Irish Times, 19 July 2013 |
| Allied Irish Bank | 2011-04-01 | The Irish State has been AIB majority shareholder since April 2011 through the National Pension Reserve Fund (now Irish Strategic Investment Fund). The Educational Building Society (EBS) was taken into state ownership through absorption into AIB on 1 July 2011. In 2017, the Shareholding and Financial Advisory Division (SFAD) planned and implemented an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of a portion of the State’s shares in AIB, listing the stock on the premium segment of the Irish and London stock exchanges. The IPO resulted in the sale of 28.75% of the banks ordinary shares (including a greenshoe mechanism) and recouped €3.4 billion for the Irish exchequer. The State now retains about 71% of the bank’s Ordinary Shares. | Written answers - Banks Recapitalisation, Wednesday, 20 June 2012, Dáil Éireann Debate, Vol. 769 No. 2; Written Answers - Banking Sector Regulation, Thursday, 29 March 2012, Dáil Éireann Debate, Vol. 761 No. 2; National Pension Reserve Fund Annual Report 2010; http://www.aib.ie/; 'State's Shareholding in Banks' www.gov.ie/en/publication/066a28-banks/ | |
| Tariff Commission | 1926-07-31 | 1939-03-22 | Suspended prior to dissolution - its functions had largely been taken up by the Prices Commission | Tariff Commission Act, 1926, Tariff Commission (Repeal) Act, 1939; Seanad Éireann - Volume 22 - 15 March, 1939 - Tariff Commission (Repeal) Bill, 1939—Committee and Final Stages. |
| International Protection Office | 2016-12-31 | Replaced the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) | www.ipo.gov.ie; International Protection Act 2015; S.I. No. 661/2016 - International Protection Act 2015 (Establishment Day) Order 2016 | |
| Ireland Strategic Investment Fund | 2014-12-22 | ISIF has a statutory mandate to invest on a commercial basis in a manner designed to support economic activity and employment in Ireland. Its predecessor was the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF). | www.ntma.ie; www.isif.ie; National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act 2014; S.I. No. 586/2014 | |
| Tax Appeals Commission | 2016-03-21 | Replaced the Office of the Appeal Commissioners | www.taxappeals.ie; Finance (Tax Appeals) Act 2015; S.I. No. 111/2016 | |
| Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman | 2018-01-01 | Result of merger of the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman and Financial Services Ombudsman Bureau in January 2018 | www.fspo.ie; Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Act 2017; S.I. No. 524/2017 | |
| Charities Regulatory Authority | 2014-10-16 | www.charitiesregulator.ie; Charities Act 2009; S.I. No. 456/2014; S.I. No. 457/2014 | ||
| Central Bank of Ireland | 2010-10-01 | Replaced the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland and Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority | www.centralbank.ie; Central Bank Reform Act 2010; S.I. No. 469/2010 | |
| Permanent TSB Group Holdings p.l.c | 2011-07-26 | In 2011, Permanent TSB p.l.c received significant support from the Irish State in the context of the financial crisis. As a result of these State support measures, the Minister for Finance of Ireland then became the owner of 99.2% of the issued ordinary shares of the Company. In April 2015, this interest reduced to 74.92% following the successful completion of a €400m equity capital raise, an open offer take up for €2m and through the sale by the Minister for Finance of 21.8 million shares. | www.permanenttsbgroup.ie; www.permanenttsbgroup.ie/media/press-releases/2011/26-07-2011; www.assets.gov.ie/5907/220119171401-73204346db4a45f9b88b0b4cd64066a7.pdf; www.gov.ie/en/publication/066a28-banks/; Credit Institutions (Stabilisation) Act 2010 | |
| Department of Foreign Affairs (III) | 2020-09-24 | Replaced Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | S.I. No. 382/2020; https://www.dfa.ie/ | |
| Constituency Commission | 1997-09-30 | 2017-06-27 | The function of the Constituency Commission is to periodically make reports in relation to the constituencies for the election of members to the Dáil, and/or the election of representatives to the European Parliament. In certain circumstances a European Parliament Constituencies Committee may be formed in lieu of the Constituency Commission. Note: A single ISAD entry is used for this body but it should be noted that the 'start' and 'end' date indicates the period of time in which various separate Constituency Commissions have been intermittently activated and deactivated. | Part II of the Electoral Act 1997 (No. 25 of 1997); S.I. No. 374/2016; S.I. No. 396/2011; S.I. No. 174/2007; S.I. No. 292/2003; S.I. No. 393/1997; http://www.constituency-commission.ie/cc/cc-oldreports.html |
| European Parliament Constituency Committee | 2013-07-25 | 2018-09-24 | Where 1) a Constituency Commission has presented its latest report and afterwards the total number of members of the European Parliament to be elected in the State specified pursuant under the treaties governing the European Union is different from the total number to which the Constituency Commission had regard in preparing its report; 2) a Constituency Commission is not due to be established and to present a report before the next European Parliament election; then 3) a European Parliament Constituency Committee may be established to do so. Note: A single ISAD entry is used for this body but it should be noted that the 'start' and 'end' date indicates the period of time in which various separate European Parliament Constituency Committees have been intermittently activated and deactivated. | Section 5(1A) of the Electoral Act 1997 (No. 25 of 1997); S.I. No. 282/2013; S.I. No. 279/2018; http://www.constituency-commission.ie/ep/ep-index.htm |
| National Oversight and Audit Commission | 2014-07-01 | The National Oversight & Audit Commission (NOAC) is a statutory body established to oversee the local government sector | Section 126B of the Local Government Act 2001 (No. 37 of 2001); S.I. 297/2014; http://noac.ie/background-functions/ | |
| Ministry of External Affairs | 1922-08-30 | 1924-06-02 | Predated Saorstát Éireann.'Departments of State' referred to in general terms under Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Eireann) Act, 1922. Subsequently replaced by Department of External Affairs under the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 (No. 16 of 1924) | Article 56 and the 'Transitory Provisions' of the Schedule to the Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Eireann) Act, 1922 (No. 1 of 1922); Chubb 1970 |
| Ministry of Finance | 1922-01-10 | 1924-06-02 | Predated Saorstát Éireann.'Departments of State' referred to in general terms under Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Eireann) Act, 1922. Subsequently replaced by Department of Finance under the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 (No. 16 of 1924) | Article 56 and the 'Transitory Provisions' of the Schedule to the Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Eireann) Act, 1922 (No. 1 of 1922); Chubb 1970; https://www.gov.ie/ga/foilsiuchan/99eec5-second-dail/#second-dail-2nd-ministry-post-treaty |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs | 1922-01-10 | 1922-09-09 | Replaced by Ministry of External Affairs (1922) | Chubb 1970; https://www.gov.ie/ga/foilsiuchan/99eec5-second-dail/#second-dail-2nd-ministry-post-treaty |
| Office of the President of the Executive Council | 1922-12-06 | 1924-06-02 | An Office of the President of the Executive Council existed prior to the establishment of a Department of the President of the Executive Council in June 1924 | Chubb 1970; Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Report 1923-1924: https://www.audit.gov.ie/en/find-report/publications/appropriation%20accounts/appropriation-accounts-1923-24.pdf |
| Office of the Chairman of the Provisional Government | 1922-01-10 | 1922-12-06 | An Office of the Chairman of the Provisional Government is assumed to have preceded the Office of the President of the Executive Council, the position created under the Saorstát Constitution effective 6 December 1922 | Chubb 1970 |
| Office of the Postmaster General | 1922-04-22 | 1924-06-02 | Replaced by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs under the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 (No. 16 of 1924) | Chubb 1970; Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 (No. 16 of 1924) |
| Office of the Law Officer | 1922-01-10 | 1922-09-09 | Hugh Kennedy was the first Law Officer, serving under the Provisional Government and, later, as Attorney General | Chubb 1970 |
| Office of the Attorney General (I) | 1922-09-09 | 1924-06-02 | Replaced the previous position of Law Officer. Hugh Kennedy continued in post as Attorney General | Chubb 1970 |