| Department of Agriculture and Rural Development | |
|---|---|
| Department overview | |
| Formed | December 1999 |
| Preceding Department | Department of Agriculture |
| Jurisdiction | Northern Ireland |
| Headquarters | Dundonald House, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SB |
| Employees | 3,836 (September 2011) [1] |
| Annual budget | £220.1 million (current) & £21.2 million (capital) for 2011-12 [2] |
| Minister responsible | Michelle O'Neill |
| Website | |
| www.dardni.gov.uk | |
| Northern Ireland |
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The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) (Irish: An Roinn Talmhaíochta agus Forbartha Tuaithe, Ulster Scots: Männystrie o Fairms an Kintra Fordèrin or Depairtment o Agricultur an Laundart Oncum[3]) is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility for the department is the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
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DARD’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. [4]
The incumbent Minister is Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin).[5]
DARD has responsibility for the following areas of policy:[6]
DARD’s main counterpart in the United Kingdom Government is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) [9]. Its main counterpart in the Irish Government is the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine [10].
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 process was known as devolution and was set up to return devolved legislative powers to Northern Ireland. DARD is one of 11 devolved Northern Ireland departments created in December 1999 by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and The Departments (Northern Ireland) Order 1999.
A devolved minister first 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.
| Minister | Party | Took office | Left office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bríd Rodgers | SDLP | 2 December 1999 | 11 February 2000 | |
| Office suspended | ||||
| Bríd Rodgers | SDLP | 30 May 2000 | 14 October 2002[19] | |
| Office suspended | ||||
| Michelle Gildernew | Sinn Féin | 8 May 2007 | 5 May 2011 | |
| Michelle O'Neill | Sinn Féin | 5 May 2011 | ||
During the periods of suspension, the following ministers of the Northern Ireland Office were responsible for the department:
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