Department of Rural and Community Development


The Department of Community and Rural Development and the Islands is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Community and Rural Development and the Islands who is assisted by one Minister of State.

Departmental team

The headquarters and ministerial offices of the department are in 10–11 Leinster Street South, Dublin 2. The departmental team consists of the following:
Agencies and Bodies under the Department's Aegis:
Rural: Town and Village Renewal scheme, Rural Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, Rural Walks Scheme, Rural Development Fund, CLÁR, LEADER programme, Tidy Towns competition, Dormant Accounts Fund.
Community: Social Inclusion and Community Programme, Community Facilities Scheme, Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development Programme, Libraries Investment Programme, Seniors Alert Scheme, Community and Voluntary Supports Programme, National Organisations Supports Programme, PEACE Programme.

History

The Department of Rural and Community Development was created by the Ministers and Secretaries Act 2017 as part of the reorganisation of governmental departments in the government of Leo Varadkar. The divisions had previously existed within the same department between 2002 and 2010 in the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Transfer of functions