- Department for Regional Development
-
Northern Ireland 
This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
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The Department for Regional Development (DRD, Irish: An Roinn Forbartha Réigiúnaí[1], Ulster Scots: Männystrie fur Kintra Pairts Fordèrin[2] or Depairtment for Regional Oncum[3]) is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility for the department is the Minister for Regional Development.
Contents
Aim
DRD’s overall aim is to “improve quality of life by securing transport and water infrastructure and shaping the region’s long-term strategic development”. [4]
The incumbent Minister is Danny Kennedy (Ulster Unionist Party).[5]
Responsibilities
The department's main responsibilities include [6]
- regional strategic planning and development;
- transport strategy and sustainable transport;
- public roads;
- public transport;
- air and sea ports;
- water and sewerage services.
Two transport matters are reserved to Westminster and are therefore not devolved: [7]
- navigation (including merchant shipping)
- civil aviation
DRD’s main counterparts in the United Kingdom Government are:
- the Department for Transport; [8]
- the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (on water); [9]
- the Department for Communities and Local Government (on planning). [10]
In the Irish Government, its main counterparts are:
- the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; [11]
- the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (on water and planning). [12]
Agencies
- Roads Service: Responsible for ensuring that measures are taken to implement the roads aspects of the Regional Transportation Strategy for Northern Ireland 2002-12 and that the public road network is managed, maintained and developed. Roads Service is responsible for just over 25,000 kilometres of public roads, approximately 9,000 kilometres of footways, 5,800 bridges, 257,700 streetlights and 370 public car parks.
History
Following a referendum on the Belfast Agreement on 23 May 1998 and the granting of Royal Assent to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 on 19 November 1998, a Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive were established by the United Kingdom government under Prime Minister Tony Blair. The process was known as devolution and was set up to return devolved legislative powers to Northern Ireland. DRD is one of 11 devolved Northern Ireland departments created in December 1999 by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and The Departments (Northern Ireland) Order 1999.
A devolved minister first took office on 2 December 1999. Devolution was suspended for four periods, during which the department came under the responsibility of direct rule ministers from the Northern Ireland Office:
- between 12 February 2000 [13] and 30 May 2000[14];
- on 11 August 2001 [15][16];
- on 22 September 2001 [17][18];
- between 15 October 2002[19] and 8 May 2007[20].
Since 8 May 2007, devolution has operated without interruption.
Ministers for Regional Development
Minister Party Took office Left office Peter Robinson Democratic Unionist 2 December 1999 11 February 2000 Office suspended Peter Robinson Democratic Unionist 30 May 2000 27 July 2001 Gregory Campbell Democratic Unionist 27 July 2001 24 October 2001[21] Peter Robinson Democratic Unionist 24 October 2001 14 October 2002 Office suspended Conor Murphy Sinn Féin 8 May 2007 16 May 2011 Danny Kennedy Ulster Unionist 16 May 2011 Direct rule ministers
During the periods of suspension, the following ministers of the Northern Ireland Office were responsible for the department:
- Adam Ingram (2000)
- Angela Smith (2002-03)
- John Spellar (2003-05)
- Shaun Woodward (2005-06)
- David Cairns (2006-07)
References
- ^ "Gaeilge" (in Irish). Department for Regional Development. http://www.drdni.gov.uk/alternative_formats_in_irish. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
- ^ "Ulstèr-Scotch" (in Ulster Scots). Department for Regional Development. http://www.drdni.gov.uk/alternative_formats_in_ulster_scots. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
- ^ North-South Ministerial Council: 2010 Annual Report in Ulster Scots
- ^ Northern Ireland Budget 2011-15, page 91
- ^ http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/index/work-of-the-executive/ministers-and-their-departments.htm Northern Ireland Executive
- ^ DRD Main Responsibilities
- ^ Northern Ireland Act 1998, Schedule 3
- ^ Department for Transport: About us
- ^ Defra: Water
- ^ Communities and Local Government: Planning, building and the environment
- ^ Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: About Us
- ^ Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mission Statement
- ^ Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Commencement) Order 2000
- ^ Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) Order 2000
- ^ Article 1, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Suspension of Devolved Government) Order 2001
- ^ Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) Order 2001
- ^ Article 1, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Suspension of Devolved Government) (No.2) Order 2001
- ^ Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) (No.2) Order 2001
- ^ Article 1, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Suspension of Devolved Government) Order 2002
- ^ Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) Order 2007
- ^ Office suspended for 24 hours on 11 August 2001 and 22 September 2001
See also
External links
Northern Ireland Executive Headquarters: Stormont Castle Heads of government John O'Dowd (acting)Departments Jonathan BellJohn O'Dowd (acting)Not allocated by d'HondtRegional DevelopmentWebsite: www.northernireland.gov.uk Categories:- Northern Ireland Executive
- Organisations based in Northern Ireland
- Economy of Northern Ireland
- Transport in Northern Ireland
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