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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50 results

Name
From
To
Description
Source
Turf Club1784-01-012018-01-01The Turf Club (and INHSC) was the Regulatory Body for horseracing in Ireland, it was replaced by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board in January 2018McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.turfclub.ie/; Racing Board and Racecourses Act, 1945; Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016; www.irhb.ie
Office of Public Works1831-08-01Also known as Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland; includes the Government Supplies Agency McGauran et al. 2005; www.opw.ie; Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924
Royal Irish Academy of Music1848-01-01Founded in 1848, The Royal Irish Academy of Music is Ireland’s oldest conservatoireMcGauran et al. 2005; www.riam.ie, the Educational Endowments (Ireland) Act 1885
National Gallery of Ireland1854-08-10McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.nationalgallery.ie/; National Gallery of Ireland Acts 1854 to 1963
Irish National Stud Co. Ltd.1946-08-31Stud farm established in 1900, became British National Stud 1916. Handed over to the Irish Government 1943-1946. (http://www.irish-national-stud.ie/tourism/history/; http://www.nationalstud.co.uk/about-History.asp)McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.irish-national-stud.ie/; National Stud Acts, 1945; 1953; 1969; 2000; S.I. No. 289/1946
Bord na gCon1958-07-112020-10-01Succeeded by Rásaíocht Con Éireann from 1 October 2020McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.igb.ie/; Greyhound Industry Act 1958; S.I. No. 150/1958; Greyhound Racing Act 2019 (No. 15 of 2019); S.I. No. 399/2020
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)
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
Irish Horse Board1993-10-302008-01-01Absorbed into Horse Sport Ireland as the Breeding Sub-Board of Horse Sport Ireland.http://www.irishsporthorse.com/; Dáil Éireann - Volume 613 - 25 January, 2006--Written Answers. - Irish Horse Board; 'Equestrian: Kennedy slams IHB plans for merger' Parkes, L., Irish Independent, 4 June 2008; 'Walsh launches new Horse Board' Irish Independent, 1 November 1993.
Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism2002-06-192010-05-02S.I. 309/2002; S.I. No. 178/2010
Heritage Council1995-07-10McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/; Heritage Act 1995
Department of Tourism, Fisheries, and Forestry1986-02-191987-03-18Tourism policy area added from Industry, Trade, Commerce, and Tourism in 1986 (S.I. No. 42/1986). It was moved again in 1987 to the Department of Tourism and Transport (S.I. No. 95/1987)Coakley & Gallagher 2005; S.I. No. 40/1986; S.I. No. 42/1986; S.I. No. 82/1987; S.I. No. 95/1987
Department of Tourism and Transport (II)1987-03-201991-02-06S.I. 83/1987; S.I. 25/1991; http://www.transport.ie/; IPA Administration Journal 2007, Vol. 55 No. 1
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
Department of Tourism and Trade1993-01-201997-07-11S.I. No. 16/1993; S.I. No. 304/1997; IPA Administration Journal 2007, Vol. 55 No. 1
Department of Tourism and Transport (I)1977-09-241980-01-24Tourism policy responsibility transferred to Industry, Commerce and Tourism in 1980Coakley & Gallagher 2005; S.I. No. 305/1977; S.I. No. 11/1980
Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation1997-07-122002-06-18Formerly Department of Tourism and Trade; Arts Policy added to form Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism in 2002S.I. 304/1997; S.I. 309/2002; IPA Administration Journal 2007, Vol. 55 No. 1
Department of Trade, Commerce and Tourism1981-08-211983-12-16Coakley & Gallagher 2005; S.I. No. 290/1981; S.I. No. 384/1983
Department of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism1980-01-231981-08-20Responsibility for tourism transferred from Department of Tourism and Transport (S.I. No. 8/1980)Coakley & Gallagher 2005; S.I. No. 10/1980; S.I. No. 290 of 1981
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
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
Irish Water Safety Association (II)1999-11-262006-06-26Prior to 1999: Water Safety Ireland (1945-1998); the Irish Water Safety Association (1971-1987) - was amalgamated with fire and road safety under the auspices of the National Safety Council. In 1998 the Government decided to re-establish Water Safety as a singular organization. In 2006 was replaced by Irish Water SafetyMcGauran et al. 2005; http://www.iws.ie/; S.I. No.361/1999; S.I. No. 389 of 2006
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
Waterways Ireland1999-12-02McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.waterwaysireland.org/; the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999
Horse Racing Ireland2001-12-18Succeeded the Irish Horseracing Authority (founded in 1994) and its predecessor the Racing Board (founded in 1945). Tote Ireland Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Horse Racing Ireland, with responsibility for the operation of a Totalisator on the 24 racecourses in the Republic of Ireland (http://www.tote.ie/).McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.goracing.ie/; Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001;
Irish Water Safety Association (I)1971-04-011987-12-18Established on a statutory basis on August 1 1980. The National Road Safety Association, the Fire Prevention Council and the Irish Water Safety Council were merged in 1987 to form the National Safety Council.S.I. No. 244/1980; S.I. No. 327/1987; Dáil Éireann - Volume 261 - 20 June, 1972--Committee on Finance. - Vote 26: Local Government
National Safety Council1987-12-182007-10-10Created from the merger of the National Road Safety Association, the Fire Prevention Council and the Irish Water Safety Council. S.I. No. 327/1987; S.I. No. 813 of 2007; http://web.archive.org/web/20060101092046/http://www.nsc.ie/
Fáilte Ireland2003-05-28McGauran et al. 2005; National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003; http://www.failteireland.ie/
Irish Horseracing Authority1994-12-012001-12-18replaced the Racing Board (1945-1994); replaced by Horse Racing IrelandIrish Horseracing Industry Act, 1994; S.I. No. 391/1994; Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001
Racing Board1945-06-221994-12-01Replaced the Board of Control for Mechanical Betting in Ireland in 1945; replaced by Irish Horseracing Authority in 1994Racing Board and Racecourses Act, 1945; Irish Horseracing Industry Act, 1994
National Sports Campus Development Authority2007-01-012015-10-01replaced Campus and Stadium Ireland Ltd. (CSID). Dissolved, merged into Sport Ireland 2015National Sports Campus Development Authority Act 2006; http://www.csid.ie/; Sport Ireland Act 2015; S.I. No. 415/2015
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
Horse Sport Ireland, Ltd.2006-11-20http://www.horsesportireland.ie/
Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Ltd.1999-12-102007-01-01Replaced by the National Sports Campus Development Authority; http://www.nscda.ie/National Sports Campus Development Act 2006
Telefís na Gaelige2007-04-01Was established as a wholly owned subsidiary by RTE in 1996. It was established as independent public corporation in 2007 (Broadcasting Act 2001)http://www.tg4.ie/bearla/; Broadcasting Act 2001
Cospóir1978-02-101999-07-01Replaced by statutory Irish Sports CouncilIrish Sports Council Act 1999; Dáil Éireann - Volume 323 - 05 November, 1980--Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Departmental Advisory Bodies; Dáil Éireann - Volume 463 - 28 March, 1996--Written Answers. - Sports Activities Recognition
An Bord Fáilte 1952-07-031955-07-01Replaced Irish Tourist Board; Replaced by Bord Fáilte ÉireannTourist Traffic Act 1952; Tourist Traffic Act 1955
Irish Tourist Board1939-08-011952-07-03Replaced by An Bord FailteTourist Traffic Act, 1939; Tourist Traffic Act, 1952
Board of Control for Mechanical Betting in Ireland1930-01-181945-06-22Replaced by Racing Board in 1945Racing Board and Racecourses Act, 1945; Seanad Éireann - Volume 29 - 18 April, 1945--Racing Board and Racecourses Bill, 1945—Second Stage; 'Betting in Ireland' The Straits Times, 29 March 1930.
Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport2010-05-022011-06-02Replaced Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism; Replaced by Department of Arts, Heritage and the GaeltachtS.I. No. 178/2010; S.I. No. 220/2011
Bookmakers Appeal Committee1994-12-01Irish Horseracing Industry Act, 1994
Irish Water Safety2006-06-262019-02-18Replaced the Irish Water Safety Association, replaced by Water Safety IrelandS.I. No. 389 of 2006; http://www.iws.ie/; S.I. No. 56/2019; www.watersafety.ie
Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport2011-04-022020-09-17Succeeded by Department of Transport (III). Tourism and Sport responsibilities also transferred to new Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and MediaS.I. No. 141/2011; http://www.transport.ie/; S.I. No. 351/2020; S.I. No. 356/2020
Sport Ireland2015-10-01Replaced the Irish Sports Council and National Sports Development Authoritywww.sportireland.ie/; Sport Ireland Act 2015
Water Safety Ireland2019-02-18Replaced Irish Water SafetyS.I. No. 56/2019; www.watersafety.ie
Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board2018-01-01Limited liability company that replaced the Turf Club as regulatory body for horseracingwww.ihrb.ie; Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016
Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media2020-09-30Replaced Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht S.I. No. 403/2020
Rásaíocht Con Éireann2020-10-01Greyhound Racing Ireland (GRI)/ Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) (formerly known as the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB)/Bord na gCon) - is a commercial semi-state body responsible for the control and development of the greyhound industry in the Republic of IrelandGreyhound Racing Act 2020 (No. 15 of 2019); S.I. No. 399/2020; https://www.grireland.ie/About-GRI/news/igb-rebrands-to-gri/