# Former titles of Departments of State (Ireland)

This is a list of former titles of Departments of State in Ireland. The Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 established eleven Departments of State. The titles of two of these were amended by an Act in 1928, and an Act in 1939 allowed further changes to the titles and responsibilities of Departments to be made by order of the government. The titles and responsibilities of departments are often changed by the government. In many instances, the legal successor of a department is not one which currently holds responsibilities for some or any of the same areas. Further departments were established by later amendments to the Ministers and Secretaries Act. The process of renaming of departments and transfer of responsibilities are detailed on the page for each department.
The titles of the Departments of Finance, Defence, Rural and Community Development, and Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science have not changed since their establishment.
| Title | Period used | Immediate legal successor | Current departments with functions |
| Agriculture | 1928–1965 | Agriculture and Fisheries | Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
| Agriculture | 1977–1987 | Agriculture and Food | Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
| Agriculture and Fisheries | 1965–1977 | Agriculture | Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
| Agriculture and Food | 1987–1993 | Agriculture, Food and Forestry | Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
| Agriculture and Food | 1997–1999 | Agriculture, Food and Rural Development | Agriculture, Food and the Marine Rural and Community Development |
| Agriculture and Food | 2002–2007 | Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
| Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | 2007–2011 | Agriculture, Food and the Marine | Agriculture, Food and the Marine Rural and Community Development |
| Agriculture, Food and Forestry | 1993–1997 | Agriculture and Food | Agriculture, Food and the Marine Environment, Climate and Communications |
| Agriculture, Food and Rural Development | 1999–2002 | Agriculture and Food | Agriculture, Food and the Marine Rural and Community Development |
| Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht | 1993–1997 | Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
| Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht | 2011–2016 | Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
| Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands | 1997–2002 | Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affair | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Rural and Community Development Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
| Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs | 2016–2017 | Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Rural and Community Development Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
| Arts, Sport and Tourism | 2002–2010 | Tourism, Culture and Sport | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
| Business, Enterprise and Innovation | 2017–2020 | Enterprise, Trade and Employment | Enterprise, Trade and Employment Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science |
| Children and Youth Affairs | 2011–2020 | Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth | Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth |
| Communications | 1984–1991 | Lapsed in 1991 | Environment, Climate and Communications Transport |
| Communications, Climate Action and Environment | 2016–2020 | Environment, Climate and Communications | Environment, Climate and Communications |
| Communications, Energy and Natural Resources | 2007–2016 | Communications, Climate Action and Environment | Environment, Climate and Communications |
| Communications, Marine and Natural Resources | 2002–2007 | Communications, Energy and Natural Resources | Agriculture, Food and the Marine Environment, Climate and Communications |
| Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs | 2010–2011 | Children and Youth Affairs | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Rural and Community Development |
| Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs | 2002–2010 | Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Justice and Equality Rural and Community Development |
| Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht | 2017–2020 | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
| Economic Planning and Development | 1977–1980 | Energy | Finance |
| Education | 1924–1997 | Education and Science | Education |
| Education and Science | 1997–2010 | Education and Skills | Education |
| Education and Skills | 2010–2020 | Education | Education |
| Employment Affairs and Social Protection | 2017–2020 | Social Protection | Social Protection |
| Energy | 1980–1981 | Industry and Energy | Environment, Climate and Communications |
| Energy | 1983–1993 | Tourism and Trade | Environment, Climate and Communications |
| Enterprise and Employment | 1993–1997 | Enterprise, Trade and Employment | Enterprise, Trade and Employment Social Protection |
| Enterprise, Trade and Employment | 1997–2010 | Enterprise, Trade and Innovation | Enterprise, Trade and Employment Social Protection Foreign Affairs |
| Enterprise, Trade and Innovation | 2010–2011 | Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation | Enterprise, Trade and Employment Social Protection Foreign Affairs |
| Environment | 1977–1997 | Environment and Local Government | Environment, Climate and Communications Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
| Environment and Local Government | 1997–2003 | Environment, Heritage and Local Government | Environment, Climate and Communications Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
| Environment, Heritage and Local Government | 2003–2011 | Environment, Community and Local Government | Environment, Climate and Communications Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
| Environment, Community and Local Government | 2011–2016 | Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government | Environment, Climate and Communications Housing, Local Government and Heritage Rural and Community Development |
| Equality and Law Reform | 1993–1997 | Lapsed in 1997 | Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Justice |
| External Affairs | 1924–1971 | Foreign Affairs | Foreign Affairs |
| Foreign Affairs and Trade | 2011–2020 | Foreign Affairs | Enterprise, Trade and Employment Foreign Affairs |
| Fisheries | 1924–1928 | Lands and Fisheries | Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
| Fisheries | 1977–1978 | Fisheries and Forestry | Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
| Fisheries and Forestry | 1978–1986 | Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry | Agriculture, Food and the Marine Environment, Climate and Communications |
| Gaeltacht | 1956–1993 | Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
| Health and Children | 1997–2011 | Health | Health Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth |
| Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government | 2016–2017 | Housing, Planning and Local Government | Housing, Local Government and Heritage Rural and Community Development |
| Housing, Planning and Local Government | 2017–2020 | Housing, Local Government and Heritage | Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
| Industry and Commerce | 1924–1977 | Industry, Commerce and Energy | Enterprise, Trade and Employment Environment, Climate and Communications |
| Industry and Commerce | 1986–1993 | Enterprise and Employment | Enterprise, Trade and Employment |
| Industry, Commerce and Energy | 1977–1980 | Industry, Commerce and Tourism | Enterprise, Trade and Employment Environment, Climate and Communications |
| Industry, Commerce and Tourism | 1980–1981 | Trade, Commerce and Tourism | Enterprise, Trade and EmploymentTourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
| Industry and Energy | 1981–1983 | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media | Enterprise, Trade and Employment Environment, Climate and Communications |
| Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism | 1983–1986 | Industry and Commerce | Enterprise, Trade and Employment Foreign Affairs Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
| Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation | 2011–2017 | Business, Enterprise and Innovation | Enterprise, Trade and Employment Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science |
| Justice, Equality and Law Reform | 1997–2010 | Justice and Law Reform | Justice |
| Justice and Law Reform | 2010–2011 | Justice and Equality | Justice |
| Justice and Equality | 2011–2020 | Justice | Justice Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth |
| Labour | 1966–1993 | Equality and Law Reform | Enterprise, Trade and Employment |
| Lands and Agriculture | 1924–1928 | Agriculture | Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
| Lands and Fisheries | 1928–1934 | Lands | Agriculture, Food and the Marine Environment, Climate and Communications |
| Lands | 1934–1977 | Fisheries | Environment, Climate and Communications |
| Local Government | 1947–1977 | Environment | Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
| Local Government and Public Health | 1924–1947 | Local Government | Health Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
| Marine | 1987–1997 | Marine and Natural Resources | Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
| Marine and Natural Resources | 1997–2002 | Communications, Marine and Natural Resources | Agriculture, Food and the Marine Environment, Climate and Communications |
| Posts and Telegraphs | 1924–1984 | Abolished in 1984 | Environment, Climate and Communications |
| President of the Executive Council | 1924–1937 | Taoiseach | Taoiseach |
| Public Enterprise | 1997–2002 | Transport | Environment, Climate and Communications Transport |
| Public Expenditure and Reform | 2011–2023 | Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform | Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform |
| Public Service | 1973–1987 | Transport | Finance |
| Social and Family Affairs | 2002–2010 | Social Protection | Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Social Protection |
| Social, Community and Family Affairs | 1997–2002 | Social and Family Affairs | Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Social Protection Rural and Community Development |
| Social Welfare | 1947–1997 | Social, Community and Family Affairs | Social Protection |
| Supplies | 1939–1945 | Abolished in 1945 | Enterprise, Trade and Employment |
| Trade, Commerce and Tourism | 1981–1983 | Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism | Enterprise, Trade and Employment Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
| Transport | 1980–1984 | Abolished in 1984 | Transport |
| Transport and Power | 1959–1977 | Tourism and Transport | Environment, Climate and Communications Transport |
| Tourism and Trade | 1993–1997 | Tourism, Sport and Recreation | Enterprise, Trade and Employment Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
| Tourism, Culture and Sport | 2010–2011 | Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Transport |
| Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry | 1986–1987 | Marine | Agriculture, Food and the Marine Environment, Climate and Communications Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
| Tourism and Transport | 1977–1980 | Transport | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Transport |
| Tourism and Transport | 1987–1991 | Transport, Transport and Communications | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Transport |
| Tourism, Sport and Recreation | 1997–2002 | Arts, Sport and Tourism | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
| Tourism, Tourism and Sport | 2011–2020 | Transport | Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Transport |
| Tourism, Transport and Communications | 1991–1993 | Transport, Energy and Communications | Environment, Climate and Communications Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Transport |
| Transport, Energy and Communications | 1993–1997 | Public Enterprise | Environment, Climate and Communications Transport |