Department of Rural and Community Development explained

Agency Name:	Department of Rural and Community Development
Type:	Department
Formed:	19 July 2017
Jurisdiction:	Government of Ireland
Headquarters:	Leinster Street South, Dublin
Minister1 Name:	Heather Humphreys
Minister1 Pfo:	Minister for Rural and Community Development
Chief1 Name:	Mary Hurley
Chief1 Position:	Secretary General

The Department of Rural and Community Development (Irish: An Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail) is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Rural and Community Development.

Departmental team

The headquarters and ministerial offices of the department are on Leinster Street South, Dublin. The departmental team consists of the following:

• Minister for Rural and Community Development

Heather Humphreys, TD

• • Minister of State for Community Development and Charities

Joe O'Brien, TD^[1]

• Secretary General of the Department: Mary Hurley^[2]

Agencies

Agencies and bodies under the department:

• Western Development Commission
• POBAL
• Water Safety Ireland
• Charities Regulator

Schemes

Rural: Town and Village Renewal scheme, Rural Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, Rural Walks Scheme, Rural Development Fund, CLÁR, LEADER programme, Tidy Towns competition, Dormant Accounts Fund (also supporting disadvantaged urban communities).

Community: Social Inclusion and Community Programme, Community Facilities Scheme, Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development (RAPID) Programme, Libraries Investment Programme, Seniors Alert Scheme, Community and Voluntary Supports Programme, National Organisations Supports Programme, PEACE Programme.

History

The Department of Rural and Community Development was created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2017 as part of the reorganisation of governmental departments in the government of Leo Varadkar. The divisions had previously existed within the same department between 2002 and 2010 in the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Transfer of functions

Date	Change
19 July 2017	Establishment of the Department of Rural and Community Development^[3]
26 July 2017	Transfer of Charities from the Department of Justice and Equality^[4]
27 July 2017	Transfer of Rural Affairs from the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs^[5]
27 July 2017	Transfer of Community Development from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government^[6]
1 January 2018	Transfer of Community Services Programme from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection^[7]
1 June 2018	Transfer of Water Safety from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government^[8]
23 September 2020	Transfer of Islands from the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht^[9]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Minister of State Appointments. 6 July 2020. 1 July 2020. MerrionStreet.ie.
2. Web site: Gov.ie – Department of Rural and Community Development . gov.ie . 24 May 2022.
3. Web site: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2017. 19 July 2017. 13 September 2019. Irish Statute Book.
4. Web site: Charities (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2017. 26 July 2017. 18 July 2020. Irish Statute Book.
5. Web site: Rural Affairs (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2017. 26 July 2017. 13 September 2019. Irish Statute Book.
6. Web site: Community Development (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2017. 26 July 2017. 13 September 2019. Irish Statute Book.
7. Web site: Community Services Programme (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2017. 12 December 2017. 21 September 2020. Irish Statute Book.
8. Web site: Community Development (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2018. 15 May 2018. 16 September 2020. Irish Statute Book.
9. Web site: Islands (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020. 22 September 2020. 9 October 2020. Irish Statute Book.