merrion street

Minister Heather Humphreys has today (Thursday) confirmed that the new name of her Department will be the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. This follows the reconfiguration of the Department, as announced by An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar.

Speaking today Minister Humphreys said:
"Culture is a broad and inclusive term which is most commonly used in Government Departments across the rest of Europe. It encompasses the entirety of the arts, cultural and creative sectors. The use of the word 'Culture' in the Department's title is also in keeping with the ethos and aims of the Creative Ireland programme, which aims to put culture and creativity at the heart of Government policy.

“Including 'Heritage' in the title reflects the Department's responsibility for our natural and built heritage, as well as architectural policy. The inclusion of the word Gaeltacht in the title is important as it encompasses responsibility for the Gaeltacht regions, the Irish language generally and much of the responsibility for our offshore islands.”

The Department will now prepare an order to change the name of the Department and the Minister’s title, under the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939. Arrangements to update the Department’s website and associated materials will also be made in the coming weeks.