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

Filter units by: tertiary education

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28 results

Name
From
To
Description
Source
Trinity College Dublin1592-03-03Founded by royal charter dated 3 March 1592McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.tcd.ie/
University College Cork1908-01-01Founded in 1845 under the name of Queen's College, Cork; then renamed as University College Cork by Charter in 1908; and under the Universities Act 1997 is known as National University of Ireland, Cork McGauran et al. 2005; www.ucc.ie; Universities Act 1997
University of Galway 1845-01-01Established in 1845 as Queen's College Galway; became University College Galway in 1908; under the Universities Act 1997 was known as National University of Ireland, Galway until 21 February 2024, when it was renamed University of Galway McGauran et al. 2005; www.nuigalway.ie
University College Dublin1881-01-01Known as Catholic University of Ireland from 1854 to 1881; in 1881 was renamed as University College Dublin; incorporated into NUI in 1908 mcgauran et al. 2005; www.ucd.ie; University College Dublin Act 1934; University College Dublin Act 1960; Royal Universities Act 1881; Universities Act 1997
Higher Education Authority1968-08-15Placed on a statutory footing in 1972 McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.hea.ie/; Higher Education Authority Act 1971; 'Higher Education Authority Formed' Irish Times, 16 August 1968
University of Limerick1989-06-22Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it became a university in 1989 in accordance with the University of Limerick Act 1989.McGauran et al. 2005; www.ul.ie; University of Limerick Act 1989; University of Limerick Act 1991; National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick Act 1980
Dublin City University1980-01-01Awarded University status in 1989http://www.dcu.ie/; National Institute For Higher Education, Dublin, Act, 1980; Dublin City University Act 1989
Department of Education and Science1997-10-012010-05-02http://www.education.ie/; S.I. No. 430/1997; S.I. No. 184/2010
Fulbright Commission Ireland1992-02-03An Bord Scoláireachtaí Cómalairte, established in 1957 by means of the Scholarship Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1957, was replaced under the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1991.http://www.fulbright.ie/; Scholarship Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1957; the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1991; S.I. No. 354/1991.
Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences2000-01-012012-03-29McGauran et al. 2005; http://research.ie/; Written answers, Tuesday, 13 May 2014, Department of Education and Skills -Departmental Bodies Data
Irish Universities Quality Board2003-02-012012-11-06Universities Act 1997 set up Quality Assurance framework, from which the IUQB was developed; CRO has it registered form 21/02/06http://www.iuqb.ie/; Universities Act 1997; Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012; S.I. No. 436/2012; http:/​/​www.qualificationsandquality.ie/​
Department of Education (I)1924-06-011997-09-30Renamed the Department of Education and ScienceS.I. 430/1997; Coakley & Gallagher 2005; Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924
An Bord Scoláireachtaí Cómalairte1957-12-231992-02-03Replaced by the Ireland - United States Commission for Educational Exchange (The Fulbright Commission)Scholarship Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1957; the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1991; http://www.fulbright.ie/
National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick1972-01-011989-06-21Opening of National Institute for Higher Education, LimerickDáil Éireann - Volume 319 - 17 April, 1980 National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, Bill, 1980: Second Stage.
Department of Education and Skills2010-05-022020-10-22Succeeded by Department of Education (II) and some functions transferred to new Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Sciencehttp://www.education.ie/; S.I. No. 184/2010; S.I. No. 450/2020; Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Act 2020 (No. 10 of 2020; S.I. No. 451/2020
Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland2012-11-06QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland) is an independent State agency responsible for promoting quality and accountability in education and training services in Ireland.Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012; S.I. No. 436/2012; http://www.qualificationsandquality.ie/
Student Grants Appeals Board2011-09-08The Board reviews appeals from applicants, under the 2011 Student Grant Scheme onwards, in relation to the decision on their grant application.http://www.education.ie/en/The-Department/Bodies-and-Committees/Student-Grants-Appeals-Board.html; Student Support Act 2011
Student Universal Support Ireland2012-05-22Replaced the sixty-six local awarding authorities that existed previously.http://www.susi.ie/; Student Support Act 2011; S.I. No. 161/2012
Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science2020-08-02Creation of a new Department which assumed a number of responsibilities within the remit of the prior Department of Education & Skills (as it then was)Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Act 2020 (No. 10 of 2020); https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-higher-education-innovation-and-science/
Ministry of Education1922-01-111924-06-02Predated 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 Education (I) 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/
National College of Art and Design1971-12-01The origins of the College date from 1746 when Robert West had a private drawing school in George's Lane, Dublin, which was taken over by the Dublin Society (later the RDS). From 1854 the institution was controlled by the Department of Science and Art, London. In 1877 it was renamed The Dublin Metropolitan School of Art. The Department of Education took control in 1924, and twelve years later it became the National College of Art. On 1 May 1972 the National College of Art and Design was established under an Act of the Oireachtas passed on 1 December 1971https://www.ncad.ie/about/; National College of Art and Design Act 1971 (No. 28 of 1971); S.I. No. 108/1972
Royal College of Science for Ireland1867-01-011926-01-01An institute for higher education in Dublin which existed from 1867 to 1926, specialising in physical sciences and applied science. It was originally based on St. Stephen's Green, moving in 1911 to a purpose-built "Royal College of Science" building on Merrion Street. In 1926 it was absorbed into University College Dublin (UCD) as the faculty of Science and Engineering.https://www.ucd.ie/merrionstreet/rcsci.html
The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland 1839-01-01The Royal Institute of the Architects was founded by royal charter in 1839. It is the public competent authority and professional body for architects in Irelandhttps://www.riai.ie/the-riai/about-the-riai; Building Control Act 2007 (No. 21 of 2007); S.I. No. 50/2008
Technological University Dublin2019-01-01Technological University Dublin was an amalgamation of the prior Dublin Institute of Technology with the Institutes of Technology Blanchardstown and TallaghtTechnological Universities Act 2018 (No. 3 of 2018); S.I. No 437/2018
Munster Technological University 2021-01-01Munster Technological University was an amalgamation of the prior Cork and Tralee Institutes of Technology Technological Universities Act 2018 (No. 3 of 2018); S.I. No. 568/2020
Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest2021-10-01Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest was an amalgamation of the prior Athlone and Limerick Institutes of Technology Technological Universities Act 2018 (No. 3 of 2018); S.I. No. 360/2021
Atlantic Technological University 2022-04-01Atlantic Technological University amalgamated the previous institutes of technology of Galway-Mayo, Letterkenny and Sligo. St Angela's College, Sligo, was also incorporated laterTechnological Universities Act 2018 (No. 3 of 2018); S.I. No. 56/2022; S.I. No. 356/2023
South East Technological University2022-05-01South East Technological University amalgamated the previous Waterford and Carlow Institutes of TechnologyTechnological Universities Act 2018 (No. 3 of 2018); S.I. No. 175/2022