‘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
55 results
Name
| From
| To
| Description
| Source
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turf Club | 1784-01-01 | 2018-01-01 | The Turf Club (and INHSC) was the Regulatory Body for horseracing in Ireland, it was replaced by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board in January 2018 | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.turfclub.ie/; Racing Board and Racecourses Act, 1945; Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016; www.irhb.ie |
| 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 | |
| National Theatre Society Ltd. | 1925-01-01 | 2006-01-31 | Abbey Theatre established in 1903, nationalised in 1925 as the National Theatre Society Limited. On 31 January 2006 this company was dissolved and all assets and liabilities were transferred to a newly established company, Abbey Theatre Amharclann Na Mainistreach, which now runs the theatre. | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.abbeytheatre.ie/ |
| Irish Manuscripts Commission Ltd. | 1928-10-10 | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.irishmanuscripts.ie/; Dáil Éireann - Volume 26 - 17 October, 1928--CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - MANUSCRIPTS COMMISSION; Dáil Éireann - Volume 168 - 12 June, 1958--Written Answers. - State-Sponsored Companies, Commissions, Committees and Advisory Councils | ||
| Irish National Stud Co. Ltd. | 1946-08-31 | Stud 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 | |
| Arramara Teoranta | 1949-12-01 | 2014-05-09 | Privatised through sale to Acadian Seaplants of Nova Scotia. | McGauran et al. 2005; FitzGerald, 1963; http://www.arramara.ie/; Alginate Industries (Ireland) Limited (Acquisition of shares) Acts 1949, 1954 and 2002 ; Written answers, Thursday, 10 April 2014, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Departmental Agencies; 'New Canadian owner of Connemara seaweed company reassures harvesters' Connacht Tribune, 9 May 2014. |
| Irish Potato Marketing Co. Ltd. | 1950-02-16 | 1997-09-17 | In 1997, IPM became a subsidiary of Donegal Creameries PLC, one of Ireland's largest food and agri-business companies. | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.ipm.ie/; S.I. No. 355/1951; State Guarantees Act, 1954; S.I. No. 260/1969; Dáil Éireann - Volume 226 - 15 February, 1967--Written Answers. - State-Sponsored Bodies; 'Potato buy confirmed by Donegal Creameries' Irish Independent, 18 Sept. 1997 |
| Institute of Public Administration | 1957-11-06 | Became a company limited by guarantee on 31/12/1963; also became a recognised college of the National University of Ireland in 2002 | McGauran et al. 2005; www.ipa.ie; 'Improving Public Administration' The Irish Press, 2 November 1957 | |
| National Building Agency Ltd. | 1960-12-13 | McGauran et al. 2005; National Building Agency Limited Act 1963; National Building Agency Limited (Amendment) Act 1969; National Building Agency Limited (Amendment) Act 1974; CRO | ||
| Advisory Council for English Language Schools | 1969-01-01 | 2010-01-01 | Absorbed into National Qualifications Authority of Ireland | McGauran et al. 2005; Written answers, Tuesday, 19 January 2010, Department of Education and Science - Language Schools |
| Crafts Council of Ireland | 1976-09-21 | Previously a volunteer body (formed 1971), nationalised in 1976 as a limited company under the Dept of Industry and Commerce. Since 19 January 2014 is primarily referred to as the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland. | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.dccoi.ie/ | |
| National Concert Hall Ltd. | 1981-09-09 | Functions of RTÉ relating to orchestras and choirs were transferred to the NCH on 28 February 2023 | McGauran 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 Lottery | 1986-09-29 | 2014-02-27 | McGauran 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 | |
| Integrate Ireland Language and Training Ltd. | 1999-03-30 | 2008-08-08 | At first, established in 1999 as the Refugee Language Support Unit (RLSU), a two-year pilot project under the aegis of the Centre for Language and Communication Studies (CLCS), Trinity College Dublin. In September 2001 the RSLU became Integrate Ireland Language and Training Ltd. (IILT) | McGauran et al. 2005; http://web.archive.org/web/20050308182828/www.iilt.ie/AboutUs.asp; 'Refugee Language Support Unit Launched' Trinity College Press Release, 30 March 1999. |
| Irish Museum of Modern Art | 1991-05-25 | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.modernart.ie/; National Cultural Institutions Act, 1997 | ||
| Discovery Programme Ltd. | 1991-05-11 | Was 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 | |
| Irish Goods Council | 1978-08-25 | 1991-09-01 | Merge with the Irish Export Board to form Irish Trade Board 1991 | Trade and Marketing Promotion Act 1991; Dáil Éireann - Volume 337 - 02 July, 1982--Written Answers. - Non-Commercial State Bodies |
| National Oil Reserves Agency | 1995-02-22 | Established in 1995 as a subsidiary of the Irish National Petroleum Corporation Limited (INPC, est. in 1979). In 2007 established as state agency under the aegis of the Dept. of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources | McGauran et al. 2005; Irish National Petroleum Corporation Limited Act 2001; National Oil Reserves Agency Act 2007; http://www.nora.ie/ | |
| Irish Takeover Panel | 1997-04-29 | http://www.irishtakeoverpanel.ie/; Irish Takeover Panel Act 1997 | ||
| Institute of Public Health in Ireland | 1999-11-22 | CRO lists creation date as 01/10/2002 | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.publichealth.ie/; Press release Dept of Health & Children (22/11/99) | |
| Tourism Ireland Ltd. | 2000-12-11 | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.tourismireland.com/; Belfast Agreement of Good Friday 1998; CRO | ||
| Cómhlucht Siúicre Eireann, Teoranta | 1933-09-22 | 1991-04-01 | Nationalised in 1933 to rescue company and privatized in 1991 as part of the Greencore Plc. Group | Palcic and Reeves, 2007; FitzGerald, 1963; Sugar Manufacture Act, 1933; Sugar Act 1991; http://www.irish-sugar.ie/ |
| British and Irish Steam Packet Company, Ltd | 1965-03-15 | 1992-01-01 | First founded in 1836, nationalized in 1965, privatized in 1992--taken over by Irish Ferries (division of Irish Continental Group) | Palcic and Reeves, 2007; British & Irish Steam Packet Company Limited (Acquisition) Act, 1965 |
| Irish Council for Bioethics | 2002-05-15 | 2010-12-01 | Established by the Royal Irish Academy in 2002 in response to the Oct. 2000 report by Inter-Departmental Group on Modern Biotechnology. Status changed to company limited by guarantee not having share capital in 2008. A National Advisory Committee on Bioethics was established in March 2012 to advise the Minister for Health in this area. | http://www.bioethics.ie/; CRO; http://www.dohc.ie/about_us/divisions/bioethics.html |
| Irish Universities Quality Board | 2003-02-01 | 2012-11-06 | Universities Act 1997 set up Quality Assurance framework, from which the IUQB was developed; CRO has it registered form 21/02/06 | http://www.iuqb.ie/; Universities Act 1997; Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012; S.I. No. 436/2012; http://www.qualificationsandquality.ie/ |
| Coiste an Asgard | 1968-01-01 | 2010-01-01 | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.asgard2.ie/ | |
| Irish Steel Holdings Limited | 1947-06-01 | 1996-05-01 | Nationalised 1947; privatised--went into receivership 1994; purchased by Irish Ispat--finalized 1996 | State Guarantees Act, 1954; Irish Steel Holdings Limited Act, 1960; Irish Steel Limited Act, 1996; FitzGerald, 1963; Palcic and Reeves 2007 |
| 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 | ||
| Pobal | 2005-07-01 | Previously known as Area Development Management Limited (est. in 1992): ADM was established following the second national social partnership agreement, the Programme for Economic and Social Progress (PESP), 1991-1993. In 2005 the company changed its name to Pobal | http://www.pobal.ie/; Dáil Éireann - Volume 663 - 14 October, 2008--Written Answers. - Departmental Agencies | |
| Horse Sport Ireland, Ltd. | 2006-11-20 | http://www.horsesportireland.ie/ | ||
| Economic and Social Research Institute | 1960-06-24 | Founded in 1960 as the Economic Research Institute. In 1966 extended its title to the Economic and Social Research Institute. | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.esri.ie/; CRO | |
| Inland Fisheries Trust Incorporated | 1951-05-07 | 1980-10-29 | Death by replacement by Central Fisheries Board | Fisheries Act, 1980; CRO |
| Grain Importers (Eire) Ltd | 1939-09-29 | 1960-11-17 | State Guarantees Act, 1954; S.I. No. 88/1961; State Enterprises; By John O'Donovan, M.A., D.ECON.SC.[Read before the Society, 12th May, 1950.]; Dáil Éireann - Volume 222 - 29 March, 1966--Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Overdraft of Grain Importers, Limited. | |
| Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann | 1972-10-27 | 2004-01-09 | Dáil Éireann - Volume 577 - 16 December, 2003--Written Answers. - Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann; http://web.archive.org/web/20030607005819/http://ite.ie/index.htm | |
| National Blood Transfusion Association | 1948-08-20 | 1965-04-15 | Replaced by Blood Transfusion Service Board | FitzGerald, 1963; S.I. No. 78/1965; Dáil Éireann - Volume 111 - 06 July, 1948--Committee on Finance. - Vote 68—Health; Seanad Éireann - Volume 54 - 27 July, 1961--Health (Corporate Bodies) Bill, 1961: Second and Subsequent Stages |
| National Mass-Radiography Association, Ltd. | 1950-01-01 | 1964-06-18 | Replaced by the Mass-Radiography Board | S.I. No. 152/1964; Seanad Éireann - Volume 54 - 27 July, 1961--Health (Corporate Bodies) Bill, 1961: Second and Subsequent Stages |
| Fuel Importers (Eire) Ltd | 1940-07-08 | 1959-05-27 | State Guarantees Act, 1954; S.I. No. 88/1961; Dáil Éireann - Volume 81 - 19 February, 1941--Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fuel Importers, Limited; Dáil Éireann - Volume 175 - 27 May, 1959--Committee on Finance. - Vote 50—Industry and Commerce; 'Liquidator for Fuel Importers' Irish TImes, 27 May 1959 | |
| Tea Importers (Eire) Ltd | 1941-07-08 | 1958-01-01 | Replaced by Tea Importers, Ltd. | State Guarantees Act, 1954; Tea (Purchase and Importation) Act, 1958; S.I. No. 88/1961; Aylmer, D., 'Tea for the Irish' in the Tea & Coffee Trade Journal, Jun. 1999; Seanad Éireann - Volume 49 - 16 April, 1958--Tea (Purchase and Importation) Bill, 1957—Second Stage |
| National Organisation for Rehabilitation | 1955-11-01 | 1967-09-21 | Replaced by National Rehabilitation Board | S.I. No. 300/1967; Dáil Éireann - Volume 160 - 06 December, 1956--Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Advisory Councils and Similar Bodies: Health |
| Salmon Research Agency | 1990-01-01 | 1999-07-01 | Originally Salmon Research Trust of Ireland, became Salmon Research Agency 1990; Absorbed into Marine Institute July 1999 | http://www.marine.ie/ |
| Oils and Fats (Eire) Ltd | 1944-02-18 | 1950-04-14 | O'Donovan 1950; MacCarthaigh 2009; Dáil Éireann - Volume 103 - 23 October, 1946--Written Answers. - Directors of State-Controlled Companies; legal notice in Irish Times 5 April 1950 | |
| Area Development Management Ltd. | 1992-10-14 | 2005-07-01 | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.pobal.ie/; Dáil Éireann - Volume 458 - 21 November, 1995--Written Answers. - Establishment of ADM; Dáil Éireann - Volume 663 - 14 October, 2008--Written Answers. - Departmental Agencies | |
| Abbey Theatre Amharclann na Mainistreach | 2006-01-31 | Replaced the National Theatre Society Ltd. as the company with responsibility for the Abbey Theatre | www.abbeytheatre.ie/; Dáil Éireann - Volume 647 - 13 February, 2008--Written Answers. - Departmental Bodies | |
| Central Applications Office | 1976-01-23 | The Central Applications Office processes applications for undergraduate courses in Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.cao.ie/ | |
| Léargas | 1993-10-28 | Léargas manage international and national exchange programmes in education, youth and community work, and vocational education and training | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.leargas.ie/ | |
| Irish Productivity Centre | 1972-05-30 | 2009-03-22 | Replaced the Irish National Productivity Committee; comprised employer and trade unions reps & grant-aided by Govt. Post 1992 - grant reduced but involved with NESC and considered part of state apparatus. Lost public funding in 1998, dissolved in 2009. | IPA Yearbook and Diary 2008 Dáil Éireann - Volume 460 - 23 January, 1996 Written Answers. - Public and Semi-State Bodies. On possible closure see also Dáil Éireann - Volume 418 - 07 April, 1992 Joint Committee on Employment: Motion; Companies Registration Office |
| Irish Public Bodies Mutual Insurances Ltd. | 1926-09-13 | Local Authorities (Mutual Assurance) Act, 1926; http://www.ipb.ie/ | ||
| Medical Research Council of Ireland | 1937-01-26 | 1986-10-31 | Dissolved to form Medical Research Board, which merged with Medico-Social Research Board into Health Research Board | S.I. No. 371/1986; S.I. No. 451 & 452/1986; http://www.hrb.ie/; FitzGerald, 1963; IPA Yearbook |
| Investor Compensation Company Ltd. | 1998-08-01 | Investor Compensation Act, 1998; Dáil Éireann - Volume 588 - 06 July, 2004--Written Answers. - Departmental Agencies; http://www.investorcompensation.ie/ | ||
| Bord na Móna plc | 1946-06-21 | McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.bnm.ie/; Turf Development Acts 1946 and 1950; S.I. No. 212/1946 | ||
| Regulator of Premium Rate Telecommunications Services | 1995-07-17 | 2010-07-12 | S.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/ | |
| Crawford Art Gallery | 2006-12-06 | In 2006, a new company, Crawford Art Gallery Cork Ltd., was established by the Minister of Arts, Sport and Tourism to manage the Gallery, and the Gallery was designated a National Cultural Institution. | http://www.crawfordartgallery.ie/; http://www.ahg.gov.ie/en/AboutUs/AgenciesBodiesunderDepartmentsAegis/; Companies Registration Office | |
| Social Finance Foundation | 2007-01-25 | In 2012, SFF was given responsibility for the administration of a Microfinance Loan Fund through their subsidiary Microfinance Ireland (Microenterprise Loan Fund Act 2012). | http://www.sff.ie/; Microenterprise Loan Fund Act 2012; CRO, company registration number 433581; Written answers, Wednesday, 12 February 2014, Department of Finance, Departmental Bodies | |
| Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board | 2018-01-01 | Limited liability company that replaced the Turf Club as regulatory body for horseracing | www.ihrb.ie; Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016 | |
| The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland | 1839-01-01 | The Royal Institute of the Architects was founded by royal charter in 1839. It is the public competent authority and professional body for architects in Ireland | https://www.riai.ie/the-riai/about-the-riai; Building Control Act 2007 (No. 21 of 2007); S.I. No. 50/2008 |