Departments

The Departments (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 established the Northern Ireland Departments in their current form. This reconstitutes and reorganizes the Departments as they existed under direct rule. The Minister in relation to a department refers to the Minister in charge of the department. In the case of the office of the First Minister and Deputy Minister, the Minister refers to them acting jointly.

A senior officer of a department is a person employed by that department and is a member of the Northern Ireland Senior Civil Service.

The departments established are as follows: the Office of the Minister and Deputy First Minister; Department of Culture, Arts and Heritage; Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment; Department for Regional Development; Department for Social Development; the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment; the Department of Health, Social Services, and Public Safety.

The Minister distributes the business of a department amongst the officers in such a manner as he thinks fit. A Minute laid before the Assembly assigns specified functions to such officers of the department as may be designated.

Subject to the provisions of the legislation, a department’s functions may be exercised by a Minister or a senior officer of the department.

A department adopts its name and seal. The Minister may authorize its functions and use the special designation by officers from whom the function has been assigned above.

A department is a body corporate. The expenses incurred by a department are defrayed out of moneys appropriated by the Assembly by Act. A department has a seal. It is authenticated by the signature of the Minister or a senior officer.

Documents purporting to be issued by a department, sealed and signed by a Minister or senior officer or other authorized officer, are received in evidence and deemed to be such documents without further proof, until the contrary is shown. A certificate signed by the Minister or senior officer that a document purporting to be issued is so issued is conclusive evidence of the facts certified.

The First Minister and Deputy First Minister, acting jointly, may assign functions to departments as they appear to them to be appropriate or transfer functions from any department to another department. Orders transferring functions may provide for the amendment or repeal of a statutory provision; transfer of assets and liabilities; carrying on and completion of ongoing matters and functions; changing of the name; substitution of the name of the departments and any documents and legal proceedings; such other incidental, consequential, and transitional matters as are appropriate.