The new Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) came into effect on May 8.
The functions of the new department include:
- most of the roles and responsibilities of the former Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), excluding Rivers Agency which transfers to the Department for Infrastructure;
- inland fisheries from the former Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL);
- environmental functions from the former Department of Environment (DOE),
- and policy responsibility for the Sustainable Strategy from OFMDFM (now the Executive Office).
The changes are all part of the ‘Fresh Start’ agreement which involves restructuring the Northern Ireland government departments and reducing them in number from 12 to nine.
An overview of the departmental changes, including their functions, is available at nidirect.
News releases from April 2007 are available to view on the Public Records Northern Ireland (PRONI) website.
This website is still in the process of being updated to reflect new Department names and responsibilities, in the interim all references to DARD, DCAL DOE or ‘The Department’ on this website can be taken to refer to DAERA.