Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht oversees the protection and presentation of Ireland’s heritage and cultural assets. Our goals are to promote and protect Ireland’s heritage and culture, to advance the use of the Irish language, and to support the sustainable development of the islands.

The Department funds a number of State Bodies and Agencies with responsibilities relating to various aspects of the Department’s remit and works with these bodies and agencies to ensure a co-ordinated approach to fulfilling the Department’s mandate.

The Department is also a co-sponsor of two of the six cross-border implementation bodies established under the terms of the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999.

The Department has a gross voted allocation of almost €303m. in 2018. There are over 500 staff employed in the Department and 1,000 in the State Bodies operating under its aegis.
In the coming weeks, following the official Transfer of Functions, this Department will assume responsibility for the areas of Media, Sport and Tourism.