Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
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| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | June 1921 (as Ministry of Agriculture) |
| Preceding Department | |
| Jurisdiction | Northern Ireland |
| Headquarters | Dundonald House, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SB |
| Employees | 3,836 (September 2011) |
| Annual budget | £220.1 million (current) & £21.2 million (capital) for 2011–12 |
| Minister responsible |
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| Website | www.dardni.gov.uk |
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs is a devolved Northern Irish government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility for the department is the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
Until 2016 the department was called the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
DAERA's official vision is of a "thriving and sustainable rural community and environment". It has five stated objectives: to help the agri-food industry prepare for future market opportunities and economic challenges; to promote the economic and social well-being and self-reliance of the rural community; to enhance animal, fish and plant health and welfare; to help deliver improved sustainable environmental outcomes; and to manage its business and deliver services to customers in a cost-effective way.
The incumbent Minister is Michelle McIlveen (DUP).
DAERA has responsibility for the following areas of policy:
DAERA's main counterpart in the United Kingdom Government is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Its main counterpart in the Irish Government is the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
A Ministry of Agriculture was established at the foundation of Northern Ireland in June 1921, and was subsequently known as the Department of Agriculture under direct rule (introduced in March 1972). An agricultural ministry was also included in the Northern Ireland Executive briefly established in 1974.
Under direct rule, the Department of Agriculture was responsible for inland waterways and inland fisheries (now held by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.
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