Unit Information

‘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

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29 results

Name
From
To
Description
Source
Royal Irish Academy1785-05-01Founded in 1785, RIA is an all-Ireland, independent academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences.McGauran et al.2005; www.ria.ie
Screen Ireland1981-08-14Known as the Irish Film Board until renamed Screen Ireland in June 2018. Hiatus between 1987 and 1993 (see Dáil Éireann - Volume 373 - 25 June, 1987-- Estimates, 1987. - Vote 3: Department of the Taoiseach (Revised Estimate) and 'Higgins move to reactivate film board welcomed' P Woodworth, Irish Times, 31/03/1993). McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.irishfilmboard.ie/; Irish Film Board Act 1980; S.I. No. 282/1981; Irish Film Board (Amendment) Act 1993; Irish Film Board (Amendment) Act 1997; Irish Film Board (Amendment) Act 2000; National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Act 2015; S.I. No. 182/2018
Údarás na Gaeltachta1980-01-01McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.udaras.ie/; The Údarás na Gaeltachta Acts 1979 to 1999; S.I. No. 424/1979
National Concert Hall Ltd.1981-09-09Functions of RTÉ relating to orchestras and choirs were transferred to the NCH on 28 February 2023McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.nch.ie/; National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) (Amendment) Act 2023 (No. 1 of 2023); S.I. No. 130/2023
National Lottery1986-09-292014-02-27McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.lotto.ie/; The National Lottery Act 1986; National Lottery Act 2013; S.I. No. 102/2014; 'Privatised national lottery gambles on long-term growth' Irish Times, 28 Feb 2014
President's Award1985-03-28Gaisce or ‘great achievement’ is a self-development programme for young people between the ages of 15-25 and has been in existence since 1985.McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.gaisce.ie/; Finance Act, 1985 (Section 16)
Irish Museum of Modern Art1991-05-25McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.modernart.ie/; National Cultural Institutions Act, 1997
Discovery Programme Ltd.1991-05-11Was initially set up through a personal initiative of the then Taoiseach Charles Haughey; it is a company limited by guarantee and does not have a share capital and is now funded by the Heritage Council http://www.discoveryprogramme.ie/; Dáil Éireann - Volume 437 - 15 December, 1993--Written Answers. - Discovery Programme
Temple Bar Cultural Trust1990-10-242014-01-01Dissolved, in April 2013 the Board of the Temple Bar Cultural Trust requested that Dublin City Council (the Shareholder) begin the process of winding down the Trust and for the council to take over the responsibilities, functions and assets of the Trust. http://www.templebar.ie/; www.discoverireland.ie/Arts-Culture-Heritage/temple-bar-cultural-trust-and-temple-bar-cultural-information-centre/31040; www.irishtimes.com/culture/council-assumes-full-control-of-temple-bar-cultural-trust-1.1712075
Heritage Council1995-07-10McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/; Heritage Act 1995
Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht1993-01-201997-07-12S.I. 22/1993; S.I. No. 306/1997; IPA Administration Journal 2007, Vol. 55 No. 1
Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht, and the Islands1997-07-122002-06-19IPA Administration Journal 2007, Vol. 55 No. 1; S.I. No. 306/1997; S.I. No. 308/2002
An Foras Teanga1999-12-02Also known as North/South Language Body. Is comprised of two agencies: Ulster-Scots Agency and Foras na Gaeilge, each of which has its own board, whose members together constitute the board of the An Foras TeangaMcGauran et al. 2005; http://www.anforasteanga.ie/; the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999; the North-South Co-operation (Implementation Bodies) Northern Ireland Order 1999
Foras na Gaeilge1999-12-02McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.gaeilge.ie/; the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999; the North-South Co-operation (Implementation Bodies) Northern Ireland Order 1999
Irish Sports Council1999-07-012015-10-01Dissolved, merged into Sport IrelandMcGauran et al. 2005; http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/; Irish Sports Council Act 1999; S.I. No. 173/1999; Sport Ireland Act 2015; S.I. No. 415/2015
Tha Boord O Ulstér-Scotch1999-12-02McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.ulsterscotsagency.com/; the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999; the North-South Co-operation (Implementation Bodies) Northern Ireland Order 1999
Tourism Ireland Ltd.2000-12-11McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.tourismireland.com/; Belfast Agreement of Good Friday 1998; CRO
An Coimisinéir Teanga2004-02-23Official Languages Act 2003; http://www.coimisineir.ie/
Fáilte Ireland2003-05-28McGauran et al. 2005; National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003; http://www.failteireland.ie/
Culture Ireland2005-02-012013-01-31Note: Plans announced in Feb 2007 to make Culture Ireland a statutory body never materialised. On 31 Jan. 2013, a Delegation Order delegated the functions of directing Culture Ireland to a Principal Officer within the Dept. of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.http://www.cultureireland.ie/; Dept. of Public Expenditure and Reform 'Summary of agency rationalisation measures as at January 2014', Table B http://per.gov.ie/summary-of-agency-rationalisation-measures-as-at-january-2014/; Written answers, Thursday, 7 March 2013 - Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Departmental Appointments
Department of Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism1983-12-171986-02-19Responsibility for industry transferred from Dept of Industry and Energy in 1983 Coakley & Gallagher 2005; S.I. No. 384/1983; S.I. No. 41/1986
Department of the Gaeltacht1956-07-021993-01-19MINISTERS AND SECRETARIES (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1956; S.I. 22/1993; IPA Administration Journal 2007, Vol. 55 No. 1
National Heritage Council1988-09-051995-07-10Predecessor of Heritage Councilhttp://www.heritagecouncil.ie/
An Bord Fáilte 1952-07-031955-07-01Replaced Irish Tourist Board; Replaced by Bord Fáilte ÉireannTourist Traffic Act 1952; Tourist Traffic Act 1955
Fógra Fáilte1952-01-011955-07-01Merge with An Bord Fáilte to form Bord Fáilte Éireann Tourist Traffic Acts 1952 & 1955
Irish Tourist Board1939-08-011952-07-03Replaced by An Bord FailteTourist Traffic Act, 1939; Tourist Traffic Act, 1952
Office of the Regulator of the National Lottery2014-02-27National Lottery Act 2013; S.I. No. 102/2014
Active Citizenship Office2008-01-012009-11-01Set up to implement the recommendations of the Task Force on Active Citizenship; Dissolved on the advice of the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure ProgrammesReport of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes, Volume II: Detailed Papers; Dáil debates - Wednesday, 12 March 2008, Ceisteanna - Questions - Programmes for Government; Written answers, Wednesday, 24 September 2008, Department of An Taoiseach, Task Force on Active Citizenship; Written answers, Tuesday, 13 May 2014, Department of An Taoiseach - Departmental Bodies
Sport Ireland2015-10-01Replaced the Irish Sports Council and National Sports Development Authoritywww.sportireland.ie/; Sport Ireland Act 2015