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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96 results

Name
From
To
Description
Source
Law Society of Ireland1830-06-24n/aMcGauran et al. 2005; www.lawsociety.ie; Solicitors Acts 1954-2002
Irish Prison Service1854-01-01McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.irishprisons.ie/; The Prison Service (Ireland) Act 1883; and various Prisons Acts 1933-2007
Office of the Chief State Solicitor1924-06-01Is a constituent element of the Attorney General's Office http://www.attorneygeneral.ie/csso/english/index.htm; The ministers and secretaries Act, 1924 (especially section 6)
Office of the Attorney General (II)1924-06-01McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.attorneygeneral.ie/; The ministers and secretaries Act, 1924 (especially section 6)
Censorship of Publications Board1929-07-16McGauran et al. 2005; Censorship of Publications Act 1929
Censorship of Publications Appeal Board1946-02-13McGauran et al. 2005; Censorship of Publications Acts 1946 and 1967; http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/travel-and-recreation/recreational-activities-in-ireland/censorship-in-ireland/censorship_of_publications_in_ireland; Dáil Éireann - Volume 588 - 06 July, 2004--Written Answers. - Departmental Bodies
Labour Court1946-09-23McGauran 2005 et al.; http://www.labourcourt.ie/; Industrial Relations Act 1946
Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal1974-05-08McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Criminal_Injuries_Compensation_Scheme; Dáil Éireann - Volume 354 - 12 December, 1984--Written Answers. - Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal
Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions1974-07-23McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.dppireland.ie/; Prosecution of Offences Act 1974
Law Reform Commission1975-10-20McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.lawreform.ie/; Law Reform Commission Act 1975; S.I. No. 214/1975
Forensic Science Ireland1975-01-01Named the Forensic Science Laboratory until November 2015McGauran et al. 2005; www.justice.ie; www.forensicscience.ie; Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Act 2014; S.I. No. 508/2015
Legal Aid Board (incl. Refugee Legal Service)1979-12-22Was set up as a statutory body on foot of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.legalaidboard.ie; Civil Legal Aid Act 1995; Dáil Éireann - Volume 337 - 02 July, 1982--Written Answers. - State-Sponsored Bodies
Fire Services Council1983-06-222012-06-08McGauran et al. 2005; Fire Services Act 1981; S.I. No. 175/1983; Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2012
Valuation Tribunal1988-07-22McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.valuationtribunal.ie/; The Valuation Act 1988; Valuation Act 2001; S.I. No. 191/1988
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform1997-07-092010-06-02http://www.justice.ie/; S.I. No. 298/1997; S.I. No. 216/2010
Judicial Appointments Advisory Board1995-01-01McGauran et al. 2005; Courts and Court Officers Act 1995; http://www.jaab.ie/
Criminal Assets Bureau1996-10-15http://www.garda.ie/cab.html; Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996
Judicial Studies Institute1996-01-012011-01-25Replaced by the Committee for Judicial StudiesMcGauran et al. 2005; Court and Court Officers Act 1995; http://www.aji.ie/supports/judicial_education
Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner2000-01-202016-12-31Replaced by the International Protection OfficeMcGauran et al. 2005; http://www.orac.ie/; Refugee Act 1996; S.I. No. 8/2000; www.ipo.gov.ie; International Protection Act 2015; S.I. No. 661/2016 - International Protection Act 2015 (Establishment Day) Order 2016
Aquaculture Licence Appeals Board1998-06-17McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.alab.ie/; Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997
Department of Equality and Law Reform1993-01-211997-07-08Coakley & Gallagher 2005; S.I. No. 20/1993; S.I. No. 297/1997
Department of Justice (I)1924-06-011997-07-08MINISTERS AND SECRETARIES ACT, 1924; S.I. No. 298/1997; Coakley and Gallagher 2005
Courts Service1999-11-09McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.courts.ie/; Courts Service Act, 1998; S.I. No. 349/1999
Equality Tribunal1999-10-182015-10-01Also known as the Office of the Director of Equality Investigations--name changed to Equality Tribunal by the Equality Act 2004 (section 30). Merged with the National Employment Rights Authority, Labour Relations Commission, Rights Commissioners Service and the Employment Appeals Tribunalin 2015 to create the Workplace Relations Commission.http://www.equalitytribunal.ie/; Employment Equality Act 1998; Equal Status Act 2000; Equality Act 2004; Workplace Relations Act 2015; S.I. No. 412/2015 - Workplace Relations Act 2015 (Establishment Day) Order 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
National Crime Council1999-09-012008-10-14The NCC ceased operations on 14 October 2008 as a result of a Government decision to rationalise State Agencies in the context of Budget 2009McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.irlgov.ie/crimecouncil/
Refugee Appeals Tribunal2000-10-042016-12-31Replaced by the International Protection Appeals TribunalMcGauran et al. 2005; http://www.refappeal.ie/; 1951 Geneva Convention on the status of refugees; Refugee Act 1996; www.protectionappeals.ie; International Protection Act 2015; S.I. No. 661/2016 - International Protection Act 2015 (Establishment Day) Order 2016
Irish Human Rights Commission2001-07-252014-11-01Set up as a direct result of the Good Equality Authority in 2014 to create the Irish Human Rights and Equality CommissionMcGauran et al. 2005; http://www.ihrc.ie/; Human Rights Commission Acts 2000 and 2001; S.I. No. 340/2001; www.ihrec.ie; Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014; S.I. No. 450/2014
Parole Board2001-04-01Replaced Sentence Review Group and was established on an interim administrative basis in 2001. Placed on a statutory footing via the Parole Act 2019 (No. 28 of 2019)McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Parole_Board; Parole Act 2019 (No. 28 of 2019); S.I. No. 406/2021
Marine Casualty Investigation Board2002-06-05McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.mcib.ie/; Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) Act, 2000; S.I. No. 290/2002
Fire Prevention Council1978-07-201987-12-18The 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. 206/1978; S.I. No. 327/1987
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 Road Safety Association1974-04-081987-12-18the National Road Safety Association, the Fire Prevention Council and the Irish Water Safety Council were merged in 1987 to form the National Safety CouncilS.I. No. 103/1974; S.I. No. 327/1987
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/
Ombudsman for the Defence Forces2005-08-31Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004; http://odf.ie/; S.I. No. 568/2005
Personal Injuries Resolution Board2004-04-13Rebranded in 2023 as the Personal Injuries Resolution Board, previously the Personal Injuries Assessment BoardS.I. No. 627/2023
Private Residential Tenancies Board2004-09-012016-04-07Replaced by the Residential Tenancies BoardResidential Tenancies Act 2004; http://www.prtb.ie/; www.rtb.ie; Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015; S.I. No. 151/2016
Private Security Authority2004-10-28Private Security Services Act 2004; http://www.psa.gov.ie/
Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service2005-04-01http://www.inis.gov.ie/
Welfare Service1969-01-011979-01-01As a service was established in 1962 under the title: 'Probation and After-Care Service'. In 1969 was re-named to the 'Welfare Service'. In 1979 was re-named to the 'Probation and Welfare Service'http://www.probation.ie/
Road Safety Authority2006-09-01Road Safety Authority Act 2006; http://www.rsa.ie/
Department of Labour 1966-07-121993-01-21Coakley & Gallagher 2005; Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1966; S.I. No. 162/1966; S.I. No. 20/1993
National Authority for Occupational Safety and Health1989-11-012005-09-01Created with merge of Factories Advisory Council, Office Premises Advisory Council, Mines & Quarries Council, Dangerous Substances Advisory Council; Death by Change of Name to Health and Safety AuthoritySafety, Health and Welfare At Work Act, 1989; Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005
Office Premises Advisory Council1959-04-011989-11-01Merged into National Authority for Occupational Safety and HealthOffice Premises Act, 1958; Safety, Health and Welfare At Work Act, 1989
Factories Advisory Council 1956-10-011989-11-01Merged into National Authority for Occupational Safety and HealthFactories Act 1955; Safety, Health and Welfare At Work Act, 1989
Mines and Quarries Advisory Committee1966-07-281989-11-01Merged into National Authority for Occupational Safety and HealthMines and Quarries Act 1965; Safety, Health and Welfare At Work Act, 1989
Dangerous Substances Advisory Council1979-01-011989-11-01Merged into National Authority for Occupational Safety and HealthDangerous Substances (Amendment) Act, 1979; Safety, Health and Welfare At Work Act, 1989
Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission2007-05-09http://www.gardaombudsman.ie/; The Garda Síochána Act 2005
Circuit Court Rules Committee1936-11-28Courts of Justice Act, 1936; 28th Interim Report of the Committee on Court Practice and Procedure
District Court Rules Committee1936-11-28Courts of Justice Act, 1936; 28th Interim Report of the Committee on Court Practice and Procedure
Superior Court Rules Committee1936-11-28Courts of Justice Act, 1936; 28th Interim Report of the Committee on Court Practice and Procedure
Committee on Court Practice and Procedure1962-04-13Question Posed By: Deputy Leo Varadkar--Subject: Departmental Bodies--Date: 13 February 2008--Question Number: 371, 373, 378; http://www.jcfj.ie/pqs/index.php?option=com_sobi2&sobi2Task=sobi2Details&catid=180&sobi2Id=569&Itemid=27
Registration of Deeds and Titles Rules Committee2006-11-04Formerly Registration of Titles Rules CommitteeRegistration of Deeds and Title Act 2006; Question Number: 370, Question Posed By: Deputy Leo Varadkar, Subject: Departmental Bodies, Date: 13 February 2008
Registration of Title Rules Committee1964-07-042006-11-04Formerly Local Registration of Title Rules Committee; Replaced by Registration of Deeds and Titles Rules CommitteeRegistration of Title Act 1964; Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006; Question Number: 370, Question Posed By: Deputy Leo Varadkar, Subject: Departmental Bodies, Date: 13 February 2008
Probation and Welfare Service1979-01-012006-06-26Previously known as the 'Welfare Service'. In 1979 was re-named to the 'Probation and Welfare Service'. Restructured as the 'Probation Service' in 2006. The Probation of Offenders Act (1907) provided for statutory supervision of offenders in the community and is the foundation for probation work in Ireland. McGauran et al. 2005; Criminal Justice (Community Service) Act 1983; Criminal Justice Act 2006; http://www.probation.ie/
Local Registration of Title Rules Committee1936-11-281964-07-04Became the Registration of Title Rules Committee Courts of Justice Act 1936; Registration of Title Act 1964; Subject: Departmental Bodies, Date: 13 February 2008, Question Number: 370, Question Posed By: Deputy Leo Varadkar
Probation Service2006-06-26Replaced the 'Probation and Welfare Service' in 2006Criminal Justice Act 2006; http://www.probation.ie/
Criminal Law Codification Advisory Committee2007-02-01http://www.criminalcode.ie/; Criminal Justice Act 2006
Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention2002-04-012007-11-21First suggestions on appointment of an inspector of prisons in Ireland can be traced back to 1985 - 'The Whitaker report'Prisons Act 2007; Dáil Éireann - Volume 560 - 04 February, 2003--Written Answers. - Inspector of Prisons; http://www.inspectorofprisons.gov.ie/
Probation and After-Care Service1962-01-011969-01-01Probation officers can be traced back to the 1907 Probation of Offenders Act; but no separate agency/service was established. As a service was established in 1962 under the title: 'Probation and After-Care Service'. In 1969 was reorganized and re-named the 'Welfare Service'. Probation of Offenders Act 1907; Criminal Justice (Administration) Act 1914; Criminal Justice Act 1960; http://www.probation.ie/
Sentence Review Group1989-12-012001-04-01Replaced by Parole BoardDáil Éireann - Volume 537 - 31 May, 2001--Written Answers. - Sentence Review Group; Dáil Éireann - Volume 394 - 13 December, 1989--Written Answers. - Long-Term Prisoners; http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Parole_Board
Irish Legal Terms Advisory Committee 1945-09-01Irish Legal Terms Act, 1945; Irish Times Report of 20 September 1945; Dáil Éireann - Volume 437 - 26 January, 1994--Written Answers. - Bodies under Aegis of Department; http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Ahern%20welcomes%20appointments%20to%20the%20Irish%20Legal%20Terms%20Advisory%20Committee
General Prisons Board1877-01-011928-12-18Absorbed by Department of JusticeGeneral Prisons (Ireland) Act; S.I. 79/1928--General Prisons Board (Transfer of Functions) Order 1928; http://www.irishprisons.ie/about_us-history.htm
Dáil Eireann Courts Winding Up Commission1923-01-011925-04-30Dáil Eireann Courts (Winding-Up) Act, 1923; Dáil Eireann Courts (Winding-Up) Act, 1925
Inspector of Prisons2007-11-21Replacement of non-statutory Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention by statutory Inspector of Prisons. First incumbent appointed 21 Nov 2007 to take effect on 1 Jan 2008.http://www.inspectorofprisons.gov.ie/; Prisons Act 2007
National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence2007-06-250000-00-00In August 2019, the Department of Justice implemented a significant Transformation Programme, most notably in response to the recommendations of the Effectiveness and Renewal Group which was established by Government in January 2018. The Department's work was previously structured by subject areas relating to different parts of the Justice and Equality sector. Cosc - The National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence was an example of thishttp://www.cosc.ie/; Dáil Éireann - Volume 639 - 09 October, 2007--Written Answers. - Departmental Agencies
Irish Youth Justice Service2005-12-01http://www.iyjs.ie/; Dáil Éireann - Volume 646 - 05 February, 2008--Written Answers. - Departmental Bodies
State Pathologist's Office1929-01-01http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/State_Pathologist%27s_Office; Dáil Éireann - Volume 62 - 17 June, 1936--Committee on Finance. - Vote 32—Office of the Minister for Justice (Resumed); Obituary, John McGrath, M.D. M.Sc., British Medical Journal, 26 Jan. 1957 (http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/1/5012/232.pdf)
Department of Justice and Law Reform2010-06-022011-04-02http://www.justice.ie/; S.I. No. 216/2010; S.I. No. 138/2011
Bar Council1897-01-01http://www.lawlibrary.ie/; Legal Services Ombudsman Act 2009
Office for Internet Safety2008-03-012019-06-30The functions of the Office for Internet Safety have been incorporated into the Cybercrime division of the Department of Justice and Equalityhttp://www.internetsafety.ie/; www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Cybercrime;www.oireachtas.ie/ga/debates/question/2018-02-06/250/
Garda Síochána1923-08-08Created from merge of Dublin Metropolitan Police and Royal Irish ConstabularyGárda Síochána (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923; Garda Síochána Act, 1924; http://www.garda.ie/
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
Comhairle na Míre Gaile1947-04-22www.bravery.ie/; Deeds of Bravery Act, 1947
Mental Health (Criminal Law) Review Board2006-09-27http://www.mhclrb.ie/; Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006; S.I. No. 499/2006; Written answers, Thursday, 16 January 2014, No.228, Department of Justice and Equality - Departmental Bodies
Committee for Judicial Studies2011-01-25http://www.aji.ie/supports/judicial_education; http://www.ejtn.eu/About/EJTN-Affiliates/Members/Ireland/
Independent Monitoring Commission2004-01-072011-03-31Established by agreement between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain And Northern IrelandIndependent Monitoring Commission Act 2003; S.I. No. 160/2011; Written answers Thursday, 20 October 2011, Department of Justice, Equality and Defence, Departmental Bodies
Independent International Commission on Decommissioning1997-09-242011-03-31Decommissioning Act, 1997; S.I. No. 159/2011; Written answers Thursday, 20 October 2011, Department of Justice, Equality and Defence, Departmental Bodies
Office of the Confidential Recipient2007-04-30S.I. No. 168/2007
Victims of Crime Office2008-09-01http://www.victimsofcrimeoffice.ie/; Written answers, Wednesday, 12 February 2014, Department of Justice and Equality - Departmental Bodies
Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime2005-03-01http://www.csvc.ie/; Written answers, Wednesday, 16 October 2013, Department of Justice and Equality, Departmental Funding
Water Safety Ireland2019-02-18Replaced Irish Water SafetyS.I. No. 56/2019; www.watersafety.ie
Workplace Relations Commission2015-10-01New agency created to assume roles and functions of the National Employment Rights Authority, Equality Tribunal, Labour Relations Commission, Rights Commissioners Service and the Employment Appeals Tribunalwww.workplacerelations.ie; Workplace Relations Act 2015; S.I. No. 412/2015 - Workplace Relations Act 2015 (Establishment Day) Order 2015
International Protection Appeals Tribunal2016-12-31Replaced the Refugee Appeals Tribunal​www.protectionappeals.ie; International Protection Act 2015; S.I. No. 661/2016 - International Protection Act 2015 (Establishment Day) Order 2016
International Protection Office2016-12-31Replaced the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC)www.ipo.gov.ie; International Protection Act 2015; S.I. No. 661/2016 - International Protection Act 2015 (Establishment Day) Order 2016
Residential Tenancies Board2016-04-07Replaced the Private Residential Tenancies Board and absorbed functions of the Rent Tribunal. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 provided the RTB with additional powers to regulate the rental sector, including a new investigations and sanctions unit www.rtb.ie; Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015; S.I. No. 151/2016; S.I. No. 4/2016; Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019
Policing Authority2016-01-01www.policingauthority.ie; Garda Síochána (Policing Authority and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015; S.I. No. 611/2015
Garda Síochána Inspectorate2006-07-28www.gsinsp.ie; Garda Síochána Act 2005; S.I. No. 401/2006
Oberstown Children Detention Campus2016-06-01Under the Children (Amendment) Act 2015 child detention schools in the state were amalgamated into one national detention campus. www.oberstown.com; Children (Amendment) Act 2015; S.I. No. 273/2016
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission 2014-11-01Result of a merger of the Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authoritywww.ihrec.ie; Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014; S.I. No. 450/2014
The Interim Judicial Council2011-11-182019-12-17Established on a non-statutory basis in November 2011, replaced by the statutory Judicial Council under the Judicial Council Act 2019www.aji.ie/supports/the-interim-judicial-council/; Judicial Council Act 2019; S.I. No. 641/2019
Judicial Council2019-12-17Replaced the Interim Judicial Council, established on a non-statutory basis in November 2011. Judicial Council Act 2019; S.I. No. 641/2019
Department of Justice (II)2020-11-01Replaced Department of Justice and Equality S.I. No. 452/2020; http://www.justice.ie/
Ministry of Home Affairs1922-01-101924-06-02Predated Saorstát Éireann.'Departments of State' referred to in general terms under Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann) Act, 1922. Subsequently replaced by Department of Justice (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); http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/An_early_history_of_the_Department; Chubb 1970; https://www.gov.ie/ga/foilsiuchan/99eec5-second-dail/#second-dail-2nd-ministry-post-treaty
Office of the Registrar of District Court Clerks1922-04-011926-09-01Replaced the Office of the Registrar of Petty Sessions Clerks and was abolished in 1926District Justices (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923 (No. 6 of 1923); Section 50 of the Court Officers Act 1926 (No. 27 of 1926)
Office of the Registrar of Petty Sessions Clerks1858-08-021923-03-27The Office of the Registrar of Petty Sessions Clerks was responsible for regulating, in particular, the fees payable to clerks appointed by judges of lower courts, known as Petty Sessions. The Registrar was previously known as the Clerk of Fines and Penalties. Replaced by the Office of the Registrar of District Court Clerks in 1923Petty Sessions Clerk (Ireland) Act, 1858 (c. 100); District Justices (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923 (No. 6 of 1923)