Department for Regional Development

Department for Regional Development
Department overview
Formed December 1999
Preceding Department Department of the Environment
Jurisdiction Northern Ireland
Headquarters Clarence Court, 10-18 Adelaide Street, Belfast, BT2 8GB
Employees 2,406 (September 2011) [1]
Annual budget £508.3 million (current) & £452.8 million (capital) for 2011-12 [2]
Minister responsible Danny Kennedy
Website
www.drdni.gov.uk
Northern Ireland

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The Department for Regional Development (DRD, Irish: An Roinn Forbartha Réigiúnaí[3], Ulster Scots: Männystrie fur Kintra Pairts Fordèrin[4] or Depairtment for Regional Oncum[5]) is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility for the department is the Minister for Regional Development.

Contents

Aim

DRD’s overall aim is to “improve quality of life by securing transport and water infrastructure and shaping the region’s long-term strategic development”. [6]

The incumbent Minister is Danny Kennedy (Ulster Unionist Party).[7]

Responsibilities

The department's main responsibilities include [8]

Two transport matters are reserved to Westminster and are therefore not devolved: [9]

DRD’s main counterparts in the United Kingdom Government are:

In the Irish Government, its main counterparts are:

Agencies

History

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. DRD 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.

Ministers for Regional Development

Minister Party Took office Left office
    Peter Robinson Democratic Unionist 2 December 1999 11 February 2000
Office suspended
    Peter Robinson Democratic Unionist 30 May 2000 27 July 2001
    Gregory Campbell Democratic Unionist 27 July 2001 24 October 2001[23]
    Peter Robinson Democratic Unionist 24 October 2001 14 October 2002
Office suspended
    Conor Murphy Sinn Féin 8 May 2007 16 May 2011
    Danny Kennedy Ulster Unionist 16 May 2011

Direct rule ministers

During the periods of suspension, the following ministers of the Northern Ireland Office were responsible for the department:

References

  1. ^ "Northern Ireland Quarterly Employment Survey Historical Data". Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. http://www.detini.gov.uk/sep_11_table_5.14.xls. Retrieved 28 December 2011. 
  2. ^ "Budget 2011-15". Department of Finance and Personnel. http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/revised_budget_-_website_version.pdf. Retrieved 28 December 2011. 
  3. ^ "Gaeilge" (in Irish). Department for Regional Development. http://www.drdni.gov.uk/alternative_formats_in_irish. Retrieved 2009-03-03. 
  4. ^ "Ulstèr-Scotch" (in Ulster Scots). Department for Regional Development. http://www.drdni.gov.uk/alternative_formats_in_ulster_scots. Retrieved 2009-03-03. 
  5. ^ North-South Ministerial Council: 2010 Annual Report in Ulster Scots
  6. ^ Northern Ireland Budget 2011-15, page 91
  7. ^ http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/index/work-of-the-executive/ministers-and-their-departments.htm Northern Ireland Executive
  8. ^ DRD Main Responsibilities
  9. ^ Northern Ireland Act 1998, Schedule 3
  10. ^ Department for Transport: About us
  11. ^ Defra: Water
  12. ^ Communities and Local Government: Planning, building and the environment
  13. ^ Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: About Us
  14. ^ Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mission Statement
  15. ^ Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Commencement) Order 2000
  16. ^ Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) Order 2000
  17. ^ Article 1, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Suspension of Devolved Government) Order 2001
  18. ^ Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) Order 2001
  19. ^ Article 1, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Suspension of Devolved Government) (No.2) Order 2001
  20. ^ Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) (No.2) Order 2001
  21. ^ Article 1, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Suspension of Devolved Government) Order 2002
  22. ^ Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) Order 2007
  23. ^ Office suspended for 24 hours on 11 August 2001 and 22 September 2001

See also

External links