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Department of Finance (Ireland)

The Department of Finance () is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Finance.

The Department of Finance is responsible for the administration of the public finances of Ireland and all powers, duties and functions connected with the same, including in particular, the collection and expenditure of the revenues of Ireland from whatever source arising.

Departmental team

Overview

The official headquarters and ministerial offices of the department are in Government Buildings, Merrion Street, Dublin. The Department of Finance has a central role in implementing Irish Government policy, in particular the Programme for Government, and in advising and supporting the Minister for Finance and the Government on the economic and financial management of the State and the overall management and development of the public sector.

There are nine divisions within the Department of Finance:

  • Shareholding and Financial Advisory Division
  • Tax Division
  • Economic Division
  • Financial Services Division with responsibility for Legal Unit
  • EU and International Division
  • Human Resources Division
  • International Finance and Climate Division
  • Banking Division
  • Corporate Affairs with responsibility for the Finance unit and FMU

History

There was a Ministry of Finance in the Ministry of Dáil Éireann of the Irish Republic established on 22 January 1919. It was provided a statutory basis by the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, passed soon after the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. This act provided it with:

The Schedule assigned it the following bodies:

  • The business and functions formerly administered, and discharged by the British Treasury in Ireland.
  • The Revenue Commissioners.
  • The Paymaster General and Deputy Paymaster for Ireland.
  • The Government Actuary.
  • The Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland.
  • The Civil Service Commission.
  • The Commissioner of Valuation and Boundary Surveyor for Ireland.
  • The Ordnance Survey.
  • The Superintendent of the Teachers' Pension Office.
  • The Stationery Office.
  • The Old Age Pensions, save as regards appeals governed by Statute.
  • The Post Office Savings Bank (administered through the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs as agent).
  • The Registrar of Friendly Societies.

The Department of Finance has retained its title since its establishment. It is the only department mentioned in the Constitution of Ireland. In 1973, its public service functions were transferred to the new Department of the Public Service. Until 1980, the position of the Minister for the Public Service was required by law to be assigned to the Minister for Finance. In 1987, these functions were transferred back to the Department of Finance.

In 1980, the functions of the Department of Economic Planning (established in 1977) were transferred to the Department of Finance. These functions are principally to promote and co-ordinate economic and social planning, including sectoral and regional planning, to identify development policies, to review the methods adopted by departments of state to implement such policies and generally to advise the government on economic and social planning matters.

In July 2011, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was established, and a considerable number of the functions of the Department of Finance were transferred to that department.

Secretaries of the Department

See also

References

External links