Department of the Taoiseach
Encyclopedia
The Department of the Taoiseach is the government department of the Taoiseach
(prime minister) of Ireland
. It is based in Government Buildings
, the headquarters of the Government of Ireland, on Merrion Street
in Dublin.
The Department was created in 1937 and replaced the Department of the President of the Executive Council
, the department of the Irish head of government under the previous prime ministerial title in the Irish Free State
.
Both departments are descended from the Chief Secretary for Ireland
's Office, originally based in Dublin Castle
, which was the administrative office of the dominant politician of Cabinet rank
in the British government in Ireland in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The head of the Department of the Taoiseach (sometimes also written as the Department of An Taoiseach) is known as the Secretary General of the Department.
The main role of the Department is to support and advise the Taoiseach in carrying out various duties. The Department also supplies administrative support to the Government Chief Whip
in respect of his duties and provides the Secretariat to the Government. The Department has a pivotal role in acting as a link between the President
, the Taoiseach and other Departments of State
.
In addition, the Department of the Taoiseach is involved in a number of other areas such as the development and co-ordination of policy in relation to economic and social development (Social Partnership
), Northern Ireland
, the European Union
and Oireachtas
reform. It also arranges State functions such as the annual National Day of Commemoration
, Presidential inaugurations
, State dinners and provides a protocol service to the Taoiseach of the day.
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
(prime minister) of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It is based in Government Buildings
Government Buildings
Government Buildings is a large Edwardian building enclosing a quadrangle on Merrion Street in Dublin, Ireland, in which several key offices of the government of Ireland are located...
, the headquarters of the Government of Ireland, on Merrion Street
Merrion Street
Merrion Street is a major Georgian street on the southside of Dublin, Ireland which runs along one side of Merrion Square. The garden entrance of Leinster House is located on the street, as is Irish Government Buildings, formerly the Royal College of Science for Ireland...
in Dublin.
The Department was created in 1937 and replaced the Department of the President of the Executive Council
President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State
The President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State was the head of government or prime minister of the Irish Free State which existed from 1922 to 1937...
, the department of the Irish head of government under the previous prime ministerial title in the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
.
Both departments are descended from the Chief Secretary for Ireland
Chief Secretary for Ireland
The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, from the late 18th century until the end of British rule he was effectively the government minister with responsibility for governing Ireland; usually...
's Office, originally based in Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, was until 1922 the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland...
, which was the administrative office of the dominant politician of Cabinet rank
Cabinet rank
A person who is of Cabinet rank holds a ministerial position in a government. They sit in Cabinet and form the highest body of leadership in a government.-United Kingdom:...
in the British government in Ireland in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The head of the Department of the Taoiseach (sometimes also written as the Department of An Taoiseach) is known as the Secretary General of the Department.
Departmental team
- TaoiseachTaoiseachThe Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
: Enda KennyEnda KennyEnda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...
, TDTeachta DálaA Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
- Minister of StateMinister of State (Ireland)A Minister of State in Ireland is of non-Cabinet rank, attached to one or more Departments of State of the Government of Ireland....
: Paul KehoePaul KehoePaul Kehoe is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Wexford constituency since 2002, and is the current Government Chief Whip.-Early and private life:...
, TD (Government Chief WhipMinister of State at the Department of the TaoiseachThe Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, officially styled as the Minister of State at the Departments of the Taoiseach and Defence with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip, is the Chief Whip of the Government of Ireland and is the most senior Minister of State...
) - Minister of State for European AffairsMinister of State (with special responsibility for European Affairs)The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Ireland with special responsibility for European Affairs. The Minister works together with the senior Minister in this department...
: Lucinda CreightonLucinda CreightonLucinda Creighton is an Irish Fine Gael politician. She has been a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South East constituency since 2007. She was appointed the Minister of State for European Affairs in March 2011.-Early and private life:...
, TD
- Minister of State
- Secretary General of the Department: Martin FraserMartin FraserMartin Fraser is the current Secretary General to the Irish Government and Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach since 1 August 2011. He had previously served as the department’s assistant secretary since 2007...
, who is also the Secretary General to the GovernmentCabinet SecretaryA Cabinet Secretary is almost always a senior official who provides services and advice to a Cabinet of Ministers. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire civil service...
and thus the country's most senior civil servantCivil service of the Republic of IrelandThe Civil Service of Ireland is the collective term for the permanent staff of the Departments of State and certain State Agencies who advise and work for the Government of Ireland. It consists of two broad components, the Civil Service of the Government and the Civil Service of the State...
.
Functions
Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach
The Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, officially styled as the Minister of State at the Departments of the Taoiseach and Defence with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip, is the Chief Whip of the Government of Ireland and is the most senior Minister of State...
in respect of his duties and provides the Secretariat to the Government. The Department has a pivotal role in acting as a link between the President
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
, the Taoiseach and other Departments of State
Department of State (Ireland)
A Department of State of Ireland, is a department or ministry of the Government of Ireland. The head of such a department is a Minister of the Government , often called a 'cabinet minister' or 'government minister' which should not be confused with Minister of State which is a junior non-cabinet...
.
In addition, the Department of the Taoiseach is involved in a number of other areas such as the development and co-ordination of policy in relation to economic and social development (Social Partnership
Social Partnership
Social partnership is the term used for the tripartite, triennial national pay agreements reached in Ireland.The process was initiated in 1987, following a period of high inflation and weak economic growth which led to increased emigration and unsustainable government borrowing and national debt...
), Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
reform. It also arranges State functions such as the annual National Day of Commemoration
National Day of Commemoration
In the Republic of Ireland, the National Day of Commemoration commemorates all Irish men and women who died in past wars or on service with the United Nations. It occurs on the Sunday nearest July 11 , the anniversary of the date in 1921 that a truce was signed ending the Irish War of Independence...
, Presidential inaugurations
Presidential Inauguration (Ireland)
The Presidential Inauguration is the Irish state formal ceremony by which the President of Ireland takes office. While in hereditary monarchies coronations are symbolic ceremonies, the new monarch's reign having already begun upon the death or abdication of the previous monarch, the Irish...
, State dinners and provides a protocol service to the Taoiseach of the day.
External links
- Department of the Taoiseach – Official website