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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30 results

Name
From
To
Description
Source
Commissioners of Irish Lights1867-01-01Under the Dublin Port Act (1867), responsibility for lighthouses, lightships, buoys and beacons around the coast of Ireland was vested in the Commissioners of Irish Lights. The British-Irish Act 1999 provided for merge with Foyle Fisheries Commission into the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission as the 'Lights Agency' however this did not take place (see http://www.northsouthministerialcouncil.org/index/north-south-implementation-bodies/foyle_carlingford-and-irish-lights.htm) McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.cil.ie/; " An Act for Promoting the Trade of Dublin, by rendering its Port and Harbour more commodious, 1786"; "Merchant Shipping Act of 1854"; "Dublin Port Act (1867); No. 661/1935: Irish Lights Commissioners (Adaptation) Order, 1935; No. 37/1997: MERCHANT SHIPPING (COMMISSIONERS OF IRISH LIGHTS) ACT, 1997; British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999
Department of Posts and Telegraphs1924-06-011984-01-02abolished by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1983Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924; Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1983
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources2007-10-202016-07-23http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/; Creation: S.I. No. 706 of 2007, Termination: S.I. No. 421 of 2016
Department of Transport, Energy and Communications1993-01-221997-07-11S.I. No. 17/1993; S.I. No. 299/1997; http://www.transport.ie/; IPA Administration Journal 2007, Vol. 55 No. 1
Department of Communications1984-01-021991-02-08Incorporated Transport and Posts and Telegraphs. Functions transferred to Department of Marine and Department of Tourism and Transport, 1987, and Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications in 1991.Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1983; S.I. No. 91/1987; S.I. No. 92/1987; S.I. No. 26/1991
Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications1991-02-071993-01-22http://www.transport.ie/; IPA Administration Journal 2007, Vol. 55 No. 1; S.I. No. 25/1991; S.I. No. 17/1993
Broadcasting Commission of Ireland2001-09-012009-10-01Prior to 2001, existed under the name of the Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC) est. in 1988. Merged with BCC in 2009 to form Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.bai.ie/; Radio and Television Act 1988; the Broadcasting Act 2001; the Broadcasting (Funding) Act 2003; Broadcasting Act 2009
Commission for Communications Regulation2002-12-01McGauran et al. 2005; Communications Regulation Act 2002; http://www.comreg.ie/
Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources2002-06-192007-10-20S.I. No. 307 of 2002; S.I. No. 706 of 2007; http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/; IPA Administration Journal 2007, Vol. 55 No. 1
Department of Public Enterprise1997-07-122002-06-18S.I. No. 299/1997; S.I. No. 305/2002; http://www.transport.ie/; IPA Administration Journal 2007, Vol. 55 No. 1
Independent Radio and Television Commission1988-10-172001-09-01Replaced by Broadcasting Commission of IrelandRadio and Television Act, 1988; Broadcasting Act, 2001
Bord Telecom Éireann1984-01-011999-07-01Became eircom after privatisation in 1999; subsidiaries included EIRTRADE Services, Ltd., Telecommunications Investments, plc., and EIRCELL.Postal and Telecommunications Services Act, 1983; Postal and Telecommunications Services (Amendment) Act, 1999; MacCarthaigh 2009
Electronic Communications Appeal Panel2003-01-012007-06-13S.I. No.307/2003; http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Communications/Regulation+and+Postal+Division/The+former+Electronic+Communications+Appeals+Panel.htm; Dáil Éireann - Volume 656 - 29 May, 2008--Written Answers. - Commission for Communications Regulation
Irish News Agency1950-03-201957-07-15Irish News Agency Act, 1949; Dáil Éireann - Volume 162 - 25 June, 1957--Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish News Agency; Horgan, J. (2001)'Irish media: a critical history since 1922', London: Routledge; 'News Agency's Directors' Fees' Irish Times, 21 March 1950; 'Irish News Agency Closes Down' Irish Times, 16 July 1957
Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation1997-03-102002-12-01Replaced by the Commission for Communications RegulationTelecommunications (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1996; Communications Regulation Act, 2002
An Post1984-01-01Former subsidiaries include PostGEM. Also acts as joint owner of the Prize Bond Company, Ltd. McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost; Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983; the National Lottery Act 1986
Broadcasting Authority of Ireland2009-10-012023-03-15Created by merge of BCC and BCI. Subsequently replaced by Coimisiún na MeánBroadcasting Act 2009; http://www.bai.ie/; Part 16 of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 (No. 41 of 2022); S.I. No. 72/2023
Radio Éireann1960-06-011966-03-08Broadcasting Authority Act, 1960; S.I. No. 107/1960; Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Act, 1966
Government Information Bureau1934-02-011973-04-01Press channel for ministerial statements; Replaced by Government Information Services (GIS). Change in office title associated with appointment of Muiris MacConghail as the Head of GIB/GIS in April 1973Dáil Éireann - Volume 54 - 18 December, 1934--Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cancellation of Government Advertising
Government Information Services1973-04-01Change in office title associated with appointment of Muiris MacConghail as the Head of GIB/GIS in April 1973Dáil Éireann - Volume 269 - 14 December, 1973--Committee on Finance. - Vote No. 3: Department of the Taoiseach (Resumed); http://www.merrionstreet.ie/
Broadcasting Advisory Committee1927-03-241952-12-31Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1926; S.I. No. 31/1927; http://www.rte.ie/
Regulator of Premium Rate Telecommunications Services1995-07-172010-07-12S.I. No. 194/1995; Communications Regulation (Premium Rate Services and Electronic Communications Infrastructure) Act 2010; S.I. No. 234/2010; http://web.archive.org/web/20080714181007/http:/www.regtel.ie/
Broadcasting Complaints Commission1977-03-312009-10-01Merged with BCI in 2009 to form Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.bai.ie/; Broadcasting Authority Act 1960; Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Act 1976; Radio and television Act 1988; Broadcasting Act 1990; Ministerial Order 1992; Broadcasting Act 2001; Broadcasting Act 2009; Dáil Éireann - Volume 588 - 06 July, 2004--Written Answers. - State Boards
Comhairle Radio Éireann1953-01-011960-05-31Replaced by Radio Éireann under the Broadcasting Authority Act, 1960.Advisory Committee - Dáil Éireann - Volume 168 - 12 June, 1958, Written Answers. - State-sponsored Companies, Commissions, Committees and Advisory Councils; Dáil Éireann - Volume 179 - 24 February, 1960, Committee on Finance. - Broadcasting Authority Bill, 1959 [Seanad]—Second Stage; Broadcasting Authority Act, 1960
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment2016-07-232020-09-24Creation of new Department to succeed Dept of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. Subsequently replaced by Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. Public broadcasting responsibilities also transferred to new Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media S.I. No. 421/2016; www.dccae.gov.ie ; www.merrionstreet.ie/MerrionStreet/en/News-Room/Speeches/Speech_by_An_Taoiseach_Enda_Kenny_TD_Nomination_of_Members_of_the_Government.html; S.I. No. 373/2020; S.I. No. 372/2020
Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications2020-09-24Replaced Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment S.I. No. 373/2020; https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-the-environment-climate-and-communications/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/decc/
Ministry for Publicity1922-01-111922-09-09Ministry seemingly discontinued from September 1922Chubb 1970; https://www.gov.ie/ga/foilsiuchan/99eec5-second-dail/
Office of the Postmaster General1922-04-221924-06-02Replaced 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)
The Future of Media Commission2020-09-012022-07-12The Future of Media Commission was set up by the Government in September 2020 to examine the future of the media in Ireland. This includes Ireland’s public service broadcasters, commercial broadcasters, print and online media platforms. The Commission published its report in July 2022https://futureofmediacommission.ie/; https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/ccae8-report-of-the-future-of-media-commission/#:~:text=Established%20by%20Government%20in%20September,of%20delivering%20public%20service%20aims.
Coimisiún na Meán2023-03-15Coimisiún na Meán assumed the functions of the prior Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. It has also been mandated to establish a regulatory framework for online safety, to update the regulation of television broadcasting and video on-demand. It will also facilitate the transposition of relevant EU directives into Irish lawOnline Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 (No. 41 of 2022); Broadcasting Act 2009 (No. 18 of 2009) (as amended); S.I. No. 72/2023; https://www.cnam.ie/about-us/