Department of Children, Disability and Equality

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality (Irish: An Roinn Leanaí, Míchumais agus Comhionannais) is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality.

Department of Children, Disability and Equality

Department overview
Formed	2 June 1956
Jurisdiction	Government of Ireland
Headquarters	Miesian Plaza, Baggot Street, Dublin 53°19′58″N 6°14′53″W
Minister responsible	Norma Foley, Minister for Children, Disability and Equality
Department executive	Kevin McCarthy, Secretary General
Website	Official website

Departmental team

The official headquarters and ministerial offices of the department are on Baggot Street, Dublin. The departmental team consists of the following:^[1]

• Minister for Children, Disability and Equality: Norma Foley, TD
  • Minister of State for Disability: Hildegarde Naughton, TD
• Secretary General of the Department: Kevin McCarthy^[2]

Divisions

• Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Division
• Justice, International Protection and Equality
• Child Policy and Tusla Governance Division
• Corporate and Business Support Division
• Youth Justice, Adoption, Youth and Participation Division

The Child and Family Agency, known as Tusla, is an independent agency established on 1 January 2014 and answerable to the department.^[3]

History

The department was created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1956 as the Department of the Gaeltacht, an act of the 7th government of Ireland led by John A. Costello. This act provided its function as:^[4]

to promote the cultural, social and economic welfare of the Gaeltacht; to encourage the preservation and extension of the use of Irish as a vernacular language; and, to such extent as may be necessary or appropriate, to consult and advise with other Departments of State in respect of services administered by such Departments which affect the cultural, social or economic welfare of the Gaeltacht or which concern the national aim of restoring the Irish language.

Over the years the name and functions of the department have changed several times by means of statutory instruments. The department currently responsible for the Gaeltacht is the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality has had its current title and functions since 2025^[update].

Alteration of name and transfer of functions

Date	Change
2 July 1956	Establishment of the Department of the Gaeltacht[5]
15 October 1956	Transfer of Rural industry and Gaeltacht Housing from the Department of Lands[6]
30 November 1956	Transfer of Oifig na Gaeltachta agus na gCeantar gCúng from the Department of Local Government[7]
20 January 1993	Transfer of Broadcasting from the Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications[8]
20 January 1993	Transfer of Arts and Culture from the Department of the Taoiseach[9]
20 January 1993	Renamed as the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht[10]
10 April 1995	Allocation of Heritage[11]
12 July 1997	Renamed as the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands[12]
28 July 1997	Transfer of Aran Islands Transport from the Department of the Taoiseach[13]
8 April 1998	Statutory statement of functions[14]
13 December 2000	Transfer of Placenames from the Department of Finance[15]
18 June 2002	Transfer of Broadcasting to the Department of Marine and Natural Resources[16]
18 June 2002	Transfer of Arts and Culture to the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation[17]
19 June 2002	Renamed as the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs[18]
25 June 2002	Transfer of Community Affairs from the Department of Social and Family Affairs[19]
10 July 2002	Transfer of Heritage to the Department of the Environment and Local Government[20]
16 December 2003	Statutory statement of functions[21]
9 July 2007	Statutory statement of functions[22]
1 June 2010	Transfer of Equality, Integration, Disability and Human Rights from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform[23]
2 June 2010	Renamed as the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs[24]
1 April 2011	Transfer of Equality, Integration, Disability and Human Rights to the Department of Justice and Law Reform[25]
1 May 2011	Transfer of Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Islands to the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport[26]
1 May 2011	Transfer of Social Inclusion to the Department of Social Protection[27]
1 May 2011	Transfer of the National Drugs Strategy to the Department of Health and Children[28]
1 May 2011	Transfer of Inland Waterways to the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport[29]
1 May 2011	Transfer of Community Affairs to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government[30]
11 May 2011	Transfer of the Education Welfare from the Department of Education and Skills[31]
1 June 2011	Transfer of Gaeltacht Planning to the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport[32]
2 June 2011	Renamed as the Department of Children and Youth Affairs[33]
3 June 2011	Transfer of Children and Youth Affairs from the Department of Health and Children[34]
1 October 2011	Transfer of Child Care from the Department of Health[35]
1 January 2012	Transfer of Remand Centres and Children Detention Schools from the Department of Justice and Equality[36]
14 October 2020	Transfer of Youth Justice to the Department of Justice and Equality[37]
14 October 2020	Transfer of Disability, Equality, Human Rights, Integration and Reception from the Department of Justice and Equality[38]
15 October 2020	Renamed as the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth[39]
1 January 2021	Transfer of Education Welfare to the Department of Education[40]
15 December 2021	Transfer of Oversight of Education Welfare to the Department of Education[41]
1 March 2023	Transfer of Specialist Community-Based Disability Services from the Department of Health[42][43]
1 May 2025	Transfer of Integration and Reception to the Department of Justice[44]
1 May 2025	Transfer of Youth to the Department of Education[45]
2 May 2025	Renamed as the Department of Children, Disability and Equality[46]