Jurisdiction Northern Ireland | Employees 3,836 (September 2011) | |
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Formed June 1921 (as Ministry of Agriculture) Annual budget £220.1 million (current) & £21.2 million (capital) for 2011–12 | ||
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs is a devolved Northern Irish government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility for the department is the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
Contents
Until 2016 the department was called the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Aim
DAERA's official vision is of a "thriving and sustainable rural community and environment". It has five stated objectives: to help the agri-food industry prepare for future market opportunities and economic challenges; to promote the economic and social well-being and self-reliance of the rural community; to enhance animal, fish and plant health and welfare; to help deliver improved sustainable environmental outcomes; and to manage its business and deliver services to customers in a cost-effective way.
The incumbent Minister is Michelle McIlveen (DUP).
Responsibilities
DAERA has responsibility for the following areas of policy:
DAERA's main counterpart in the United Kingdom Government is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Its main counterpart in the Irish Government is the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
History
A Ministry of Agriculture was established at the foundation of Northern Ireland in June 1921, and was subsequently known as the Department of Agriculture under direct rule (introduced in March 1972). An agricultural ministry was also included in the Northern Ireland Executive briefly established in 1974.
Under direct rule, the Department of Agriculture was responsible for inland waterways and inland fisheries (now held by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.
Following a referendum on the Belfast Agreement on 23 May 1998 and the granting of royal assent to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 on 19 November 1998, a Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive were established by the United Kingdom Government under Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Department of Agriculture was renamed as the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and granted a slightly reduced remit. DARD was therefore one of the six direct rule Northern Ireland departments that continued in existence after devolution in December 1999, following the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and The Departments (Northern Ireland) Order 1999.
A devolved minister took office on 2 December 1999. Devolution was suspended for four periods, during which the department came under the responsibility of direct rule ministers from the Northern Ireland Office:
Since 8 May 2007, devolution has operated without interruption.
Direct rule ministers
During the periods of suspension, the following ministers of the Northern Ireland Office were responsible for the department: