The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage () is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Departmental team The departmental team consists of the following: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage: James Browne, TD Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for local government and planning: John Cummins, TD Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for nature, heritage and biodiversity: Christopher O'Sullivan, TD Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for housing: Kieran O'Donnell, TD Secretary General of the Department: Graham Doyle

Overview The headquarters and ministerial offices of the department are in The Custom House, Dublin 1. The department also has offices in Wexford and Ballina, County Mayo, with the headquarters of Met Éireann, the weather forecasting service, in Glasnevin, Dublin.

The department has the following divisions:

Local government Housing policy and standards Heritage National Built Heritage Service National Monuments Service National Parks and Wildlife Service Met Éireann Local government audit service Affordable housing Corporate and business support Water Planning Homelessness, rental and social inclusion Social housing delivery

Through its local government functions, it is responsible for the conduct of elections and referendums.

Heritage functions The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) manages the State's nature conservation responsibilities. As well as managing the national parks, the activities of the NPWS include the designation and protection of Natural Heritage Areas, Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas. The NPWS was established as part of the department after the abolition of Dúchas in 2003. Dúchas's responsibilities had included the management of Ireland's six national parks and wildlife.

The National Monuments Service maintains Ireland's national monuments and the Archaeological Survey of Ireland.

The National Built Heritage Service maintains the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Aegis bodies The following bodies are under the aegis of the department:

An Coimisiún Pleanála An Fóram Uisce Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum Electoral Commission Gas Networks Ireland Heritage Council Housing Agency Housing Finance Agency Land Development Agency Local Government Management Agency National Oversight and Audit Commission National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee Pyrite Resolution Board Residential Tenancies Board Property Services Regulatory Authority Property Services Appeal Board Tailte Éireann, an agency for surveying, registering ownership, and valuing land. Uisce Éireann, formerly Irish Water, state-owned water utility Valuation Tribunal Waterways Ireland

History In the Ministry of Dáil Éireann in the Irish Republic (1919–1922), a Ministry of Local Government was established on 2 April 1919. In the Irish Free State, there was a Minister for Local Government as part of the first Executive Council of the Irish Free State established in 1922. The Department of Local Government and Public Health was given a statutory basis by the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924. This act provided it with:

It also assigned it with the following branches of administration: The Local Government Board for Ireland, including appeals under the Old Age Pensions Acts. The Inspectors of Lunatic Asylums in Ireland. National Health Insurance Commission. The Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages in Ireland. Roads Department (formerly Ministry of Transport). Clerk of the Crown and Hanaper so far as concerned with Elections. General Nursing Council and Central Midwives Board.

Over the years the name and functions of the department have changed several times.

Alteration of name and transfer of functions Date Effect2 June 1924Establishment of the Department of Local Government and Public Health22 January 1947Renamed as the Department of Local Government18 March 1947Transfer of Health to the Department of Health10 October 1947Transfer of Social Welfare to the Department of Social Welfare14 June 1954Allocation of Oifig na Gaeltachta agus na gCeantar gCúng30 November 1956Transfer of Oifig na Gaeltachta agus na gCeantar gCúng to Department of the Gaeltacht17 August 1977Renamed as the Department of the Environment22 July 1997Renamed as the Department of the Environment and Local Government18 June 2002Transfer of Roads to the Department of the Public Enterprise10 July 2002Transfer of Heritage from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs10 June 2003Renamed as the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government15 January 2010Transfer of Foreshore to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food1 May 2011Transfer of Heritage to the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport1 May 2011Transfer of Community from the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs2 May 2011Renamed as the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government22 July 2016Transfer of Environment to the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources23 July 2016Renamed as the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government27 July 2017Transfer of Community Development to Department of Rural and Community Development1 August 2017Renamed as the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government1 January 2018Transfer of Ordnance Survey Ireland from the Department of Justice and Equality1 January 2018Transfer of the Property Registration Authority from the Department of Justice and Equality1 January 2018Transfer of the Valuation Office from the Department of Justice and Equality1 January 2018Transfer of Motor Tax to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport1 June 2018Transfer of Water Safety to the Department of Rural and Community Development9 September 2020Transfer of Heritage from the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht9 September 2020Transfer of Inland Waterways from the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht30 September 2020Renamed as the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage1 August 2025Transfer of Marine environment to the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment1 August 2025Transfer of Dog breeding to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine1 August 2025Transfer of Property Services from the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration

References

External links

History of the Department Structure of the Department National Parks and Wildlife Service National Monuments Service National Built Heritage Service World Heritage Ireland