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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25 results

Name
From
To
Description
Source
Royal Irish Academy1785-05-01Founded in 1785, RIA is an all-Ireland, independent academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences.McGauran et al.2005; www.ria.ie
State Laboratory1924-01-01Created from amalgamation of the laboratory of the Revenue Commissioners with the chemistry laboratory of the Department of Agriculture McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.statelab.ie/;
Met Éireann1936-12-01McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.met.ie/; Meteorological Services (Re-distribution of Public Services) Order, 1936 (SR & O No 276 of 1936) and later reassignments - eg Communications (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order, 1987; Dáil Éireann - Volume 647 - 13 February, 2008--Written Answers. - Departmental Bodies
Department of Education and Science1997-10-012010-05-02http://www.education.ie/; S.I. No. 430/1997; S.I. No. 184/2010
Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology2001-06-012012-03-29McGauran et al. 2005; http://research.ie/; Written answers, Tuesday, 13 May 2014, Department of Education and Skills -Departmental Bodies Data
Irish Council for Bioethics2002-05-152010-12-01Established 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
Eolas1988-01-011994-01-01Created by merge of National Board for Science and Technology and the Institute for Industrial Research and StandardsScience and Technology Act, 1987; Industrial Development Act 1993
Nuclear Energy Board1973-11-301992-04-01Functions transferred to Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland in 1992Nuclear Energy Act 1971; S.I. No. 319/1973; Radiological Protection Act, 1991
Institute for Industrial Research and Standards1946-08-271988-01-01Set up as an independent Government sponsored organisation in 1946; reconstituted in 1961; Merge with National Board for Science & Technology to form EolasIndustrial Research and Standards Acts 1946 & 1961; Science and Technology Act, 1987
Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government2004-06-232012-10-26Was established in 2004 as part of a reorganised governance structure for the Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (ICSTI),now known as the Advisory Council for Science, Technology and Innovation. In 2012 was absorbed into Science Foundation Ireland with the Director General of Science Foundation Ireland taking on the role of Chief Scientific Adviser.http://www.chiefscientificadviser.ie/; 'Tánaiste announces appointment of Ireland's first Chief Science Adviser', press release, Dept. of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation; SFI Press Release 26 October 2012, 'Director General of SFI to take on additional role of Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government'; 'Summary of agency rationalisation measures as at January 2014: Table B', Dept. of Public Expenditure and Reform
Advisory Council for Science Technology and Innovation2005-04-012012-01-01Established as a successor body to The Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (est. in 1997)https://publicpolicy.ie/perspectives/fostering-innovation-in-irish-innovation-policy/
Eirgrid2001-02-07SI 445 of 2000; Electricity Regulation Act 1999; SI 60 of 2005; http://www.eirgrid.com/
National Board for Science and Technology1978-04-051988-01-01Merged with Institute for Industrial Research and Standards to form EolasNational Board For Science and Technology Act, 1977; S.I. No. 78/1978; Science and Technology Act, 1987
Department of the Taoiseach 1937-07-01http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/; Constitution (Consequential Provisions) Act, 1937
National Science Council1968-01-041978-04-05Established on OECD recommendation; Replaced by National Board for Science and TechnologyDáil Éireann - Volume 293 - 04 November, 1976; National Board for Science and Technology Bill, 1976: Second Stage; National Board for Science and Technology Act 1977; 'Science Policy Necessary' Irish Times, 5 January 1968.
Science Foundation Ireland2003-07-25Was established in 2000 as a sub-board of Forfás. In 2003 was established on a statutory basis McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.sfi.ie/; Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Act 2003
Digital Media Development Limited2000-03-282003-07-21Dissolved and replaced by Digital Hub Development AgencyS.I. No. 220/2001; Digital Hub Development Agency Act 2003; Dáil Éireann - Volume 647 - 19 February, 2008--Written Answers. - Departmental Bodies
Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation1997-04-012005-04-01Under aegis of Forfas; ICSTI was replaced by Advisory Council for Science, Technology and Innovationhttp://web.archive.org/web/20021219022343/www.forfas.ie/icsti/; Address by Mr Noel Treacy T.D. Minister for Science, Technology and Commerce to the Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation on Tuesday, 14 September 1999
Irish Laboratory Accreditation Board1985-07-011995-02-01Predecessor of Irish National Accreditation BoardSI 4/1991; http://www.inab.ie/aboutus/ Dáil Éireann - Volume 465 - 09 May, 1996 Private Members' Business. - National Standards Authority of Ireland Bill, 1996: Second Stage (Resumed). 'Board gives formal accreditation to labs' Irish Times, 16 April 1987; Report of the Laboratory of the Dublin Region Public Analyst for the years 1995 and 1996, Eastern Health Board
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation2010-05-022011-06-02http://www.deti.ie/; S.I. No. 185/2010; S.I. No. 245/2011
Geological Survey of Ireland1845-01-01Geological Survey Act 1845; Ministers and Secretaries 1924; http://www.gsi.ie/
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/
Irish Research Council2012-03-29The mission of the Irish Research Council is to enable and sustain a vibrant research community in Ireland.http://www.research.ie/; 'New body sees value of research' Irish Times, 26 April 2012
Irish National Accreditation Board1995-02-01Orginally an autonomous division of Forfás, became a Committee of the Health and Safety Authority under the Industrial Development (Forfás Dissolution) Act 2014.McGauran et al. 2005; http://www.inab.ie/; Industrial Development Act, 1993; Report of the Laboratory of the Dublin Region Public Analyst for the years 1995 and 1996, Eastern Health Board; Dáil Éireann - Volume 465 - 09 May, 1996 Private Members' Business. - National Standards Authority of Ireland Bill, 1996: Second Stage (Resumed); S.I. No. 294/1999; Industrial Development (Forfás Dissolution) Act 2014
Industrial Research Council1934-03-201946-08-27Dáil Éireann - Volume 50 - 23 February, 1934, Supplementary Estimate, 1933-34. - Vote No. 56—Industry and Commerce; Dáil Éireann - Volume 102 - 03 July, 1946 Industrial Research and Standards Bill, 1946—Second Stage; Industrial Research and Standards Act, 1946