Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Irish: An Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán) is a department of the Government of Ireland. The mission of the department is to promote and develop Ireland's tourism, culture, and art; and to advance the use of the Irish language, including the development of the Gaeltacht. It is led by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

Department overview
Formed	8 July 1977
Jurisdiction	Government of Ireland
Headquarters	Kildare Street, Dublin 53°20′24″N 6°15′21″W
Minister responsible	Catherine Martin, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Department executive	Feargal Ó Coigligh, Secretary General
Website	Official website

Departmental team

The official headquarters and ministerial offices of the department are on Kildare Street, Dublin. The department also has offices in South Frederick Street in Dublin, Na Forbacha in Galway and in New Road, Killarney, County Kerry. The departmental team consists of the following:

• Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media: Catherine Martin, TD
  • Minister of State for the Gaeltacht: Thomas Byrne, TD
  • Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education: Thomas Byrne, TD
• Secretary General of the Department: Feargal Ó Coigligh

Overview

In carrying out its mandate the department undertakes a variety of functions including:

• formulation, development and evaluation of policy and structures to promote and foster the practice and appreciation of the creative and interpretative arts and to encourage the development of the Irish film industry;
• enabling the national cultural institutions to preserve and protect Ireland's movable heritage and cultural assets;
• creating an environment enabling the National Cultural Institutions to flourish through the provision of financial resources and an appropriate policy framework.

The department is responsible for funding national cultural institutions such as:

• National Gallery of Ireland
• National Library of Ireland
• National Museum of Ireland

and organisations such as:

• Arts Council of Ireland (which also acts as the "Cultural Contact Point" to access EU cultural programme funding);
• Culture Ireland

History

The department was created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1977 as the Department of Economic Planning and Development, an act of the 15th Government of Ireland led by Jack Lynch. This act provided its function as:^[1]

(a) to promote and coordinate economic and social planning for the development of the economy both generally and as respects different sectors thereof and different regions of the country,

(b) to identify the policies it considers necessary for general economic and social development and to report thereon to the Government,

(c) to identify in consultation with Departments of State and to review and appraise the plans and activities of such Departments giving effect to the policies for general economic and social development adopted by the Government,

(d) to make proposals to the Government for the coordination of the plans and activities referred to in paragraph (c) of this subsection and for their integration with national economic and social plans and

(e) to review the implementation of such national economic and social plans as may be approved by the Government from time to time and to report thereon to the Government.

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

Date	Change
13 December 1977	Establishment of the Department of Economic Planning and Development[2]
1 January 1980	Transfer of Economic Planning to the Department of Finance[3]
21 January 1980	Renamed as the Department of Energy[4]
22 January 1980	Transfer of Energy from the Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy[5]
20 August 1981	Transfer of Industry from the Department of Industry, Commerce and Tourism[6]
21 August 1981	Renamed as the Department of Industry and Energy[7]
16 December 1983	Transfer of Industry to the Department of Trade, Commerce and Tourism[8]
17 December 1983	Renamed as the Department of Energy[9]
20 January 1993	Transfer of Forestry to the Department of Agriculture and Food[10]
20 January 1993	Transfer of Trade from the Department of Industry and Commerce[11]
20 January 1993	Transfer of Tourism from the Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications[12]
20 January 1993	Renamed as the Department of Tourism and Trade[13]
21 January 1993	Transfer of Energy to the Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications[14]
11 July 1997	Transfer of Trade to the Department of Enterprise and Employment[15]
12 July 1997	Renamed as the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation[16]
18 June 2002	Transfer of Horse and Greyhound Racing from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development[17]
18 June 2002	Transfer of Arts and Culture from the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands[18]
19 June 2002	Renamed as the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism[19]
25 June 2002	Transfer of the Genealogical Office from the Department of Education and Science[20]
10 July 2002	Transfer of National Monuments from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs[21]
1 May 2010	Transfer of Horse and Greyhound Racing to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food[22]
2 May 2010	Renamed as the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport[23]
1 April 2011	Transfer of Tourism and Sport to the Department of Transport[24]
1 May 2011	Transfer of Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Islands from the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs[25]
1 May 2011	Transfer of Heritage from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government[26]
1 May 2011	Transfer of Inland Waterways from the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs[27]
1 June 2011	Transfer of Gaeltacht Planning from the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs[28]
1 June 2011	Transfer of Tourism and Sport to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport[29]
2 June 2011	Renamed as the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht[30]
19 June 2013	Transfer of Censorship of Publications from the Department of Justice and Equality[31]
10 March 2015	Transfer of Censorship of Publications to the Department of Justice and Equality[32]
9 June 2016	Transfer of Rural Affairs from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government[33]
7 July 2016	Renamed as the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs[34]
27 July 2017	Transfer of Rural Affairs to the Department of Rural and Community Development[35]
1 August 2017	Renamed as the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht[36]
9 September 2020	Transfer of Heritage to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government[37]
9 September 2020	Transfer of Inland Waterways to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government[38]
16 September 2020	Transfer of Tourism and Sport from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport[39]
22 September 2020	Transfer of Broadcasting from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment[40]
23 September 2020	Transfer of Islands to the Department of Rural and Community Development[41]
30 September 2020	Renamed as the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media[42]
31 March 2021	Transfer of Heritage Fund from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage[43]

References

1. Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1977, s. 2: The Department of Economic Planning and Development (No. 27 of 1977, s. 2). Enacted on 6 December 1977. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
2. Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1977 (Appointed Day) Order 1977 (S.I. No. 377 of 1977). Signed on 9 December 1977. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
3. Economic Planning and Development (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1980 (S.I. No. 1 of 1980). Signed on 2 January 1980. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
4. Economic Planning and Development (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1980 (S.I. No. 12 of 1980). Signed on 15 January 1980. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
5. Energy (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1980 (S.I. No. 9 of 1980). Signed on 15 January 1980. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
6. Industry (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1981 (S.I. No. 288 of 1981). Signed on 19 August 1981. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
7. Energy (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1981 (S.I. No. 289 of 1981). Signed on 19 August 1981. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
8. Industry (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1983 (S.I. No. 383 of 1983). Signed on 15 December 1983. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
9. Industry and Energy (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1983 (S.I. No. 385 of 1983). Signed on 15 December 1983. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
10. Energy (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1993 (S.I. No. 10 of 1993). Signed on 20 January 1993. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
11. Foreign Trade (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1993 (S.I. No. 14 of 1993). Signed on 20 January 1993. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
12. Tourism (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1993 (S.I. No. 15 of 1993). Signed on 20 January 1993. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
13. Energy (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993 (S.I. No. 16 of 1993). Signed on 20 January 1993. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
14. Energy (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 1993 (S.I. No. 12 of 1993). Signed on 20 January 1993. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
15. Trade (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1997 (S.I. No. 303 of 1997). Signed on 8 July 1997. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
16. Tourism and Trade (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1997 (S.I. No. 304 of 1997). Signed on 8 July 1997. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
17. Horse and Greyhound Racing (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002 (S.I. No. 297 of 2002). Signed on 18 June 2002. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 13 September 2021.
18. Arts and Culture (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002 (S.I. No. 302 of 2002). Signed on 18 June 2002. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
19. Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002 (S.I. No. 309 of 2002). Signed on 18 June 2002. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
20. Genealogical Office (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002 (S.I. No. 328 of 2002). Signed on 25 June 2002. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 9 November 2020.
21. National Monuments (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002 (S.I. No. 358 of 2002). Signed on 10 July 2002. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 6 October 2020.
22. Horse and Greyhound Racing (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. No. 179 of 2010). Signed on 22 April 2010. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 13 September 2021.
23. Arts, Sport and Tourism (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2010 (S.I. No. 178 of 2010). Signed on 22 April 2010. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
24. Tourism and Sport (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 140 of 2011). Signed on 29 March 2011. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
25. Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 164 of 2011). Signed on 5 April 2011. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
26. Heritage (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 192 of 2011). Signed on 19 April 2011. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
27. Inland Waterways and Waterways Ireland (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 195 of 2011). Signed on 19 April 2011. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 21 September 2020.
28. Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 164 of 2011). Signed on 10 May 2011. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
29. Tourism and Sport (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 217 of 2011). Signed on 10 May 2011. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 25 September 2020.
30. Tourism, Culture and Sport (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 220 of 2011). Signed on 10 May 2011. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
31. Censorship of Publications Board and Censorship of Publications Appeal Board (Transfer of Ministerial Functions) Order 2013 (S.I. No. 255 of 2013). Signed on 19 June 2013. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 21 September 2020.
32. Censorship of Publications Board and Censorship of Publications Appeal Board (Transfer of Ministerial Functions) Order 2015 (S.I. No. 89 of 2015). Signed on 10 March 2015. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 21 September 2020.
33. Rural Affairs and Social Enterprise (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2016 (S.I. No. 308 of 2016). Signed on 8 June 2016. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
34. Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2016 (S.I. No. 357 of 2016). Signed on 5 July 2016. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
35. Rural Affairs (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 354 of 2017). Signed on 26 July 2017. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
36. Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 350 of 2017). Signed on 26 July 2017. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 September 2019.
37. Heritage (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 339 of 2020). Signed on 8 September 2020. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 16 September 2020.
38. Inland Waterways and Waterways Ireland (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 340 of 2020). Signed on 8 September 2020. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 16 September 2020.
39. Tourism and Sport (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 356 of 2020). Signed on 15 September 2020. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 25 September 2020.
40. Broadcasting (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 372 of 2020). Signed on 22 September 2020. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 13 October 2020.
41. Islands (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 379 of 2020). Signed on 22 September 2020. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 13 October 2020.
42. Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 403 of 2020). Signed on 29 September 2020. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 13 October 2020.
43. Heritage Fund (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2021 (S.I. No. 185 of 2021). Signed on 30 March 2021. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 29 April 2021.

External links

• Official website
• Structure of the Department