Executive Office (Northern Ireland) facts for kids
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| Department overview | |
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| Formed | 1 December 1999 |
| Preceding Department |
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| Jurisdiction | Northern Ireland |
| Headquarters | Stormont Castle, Stormont Estate, Belfast, BT4 3TT |
| Employees | 380 (September 2011) |
| Annual budget | £78.6 million (current) & £11.2 million (capital) for 2011–12 |
| Minister responsible |
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| Department executive |
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The Executive Office is a special government department in Northern Ireland. It helps run the Northern Ireland Executive, which is the government of Northern Ireland. This office is very important because it oversees many key areas for the region.
The leaders of this department are the First Minister and deputy First Minister. They work together to make sure everything runs smoothly.
This department used to be called the "Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister." But in May 2016, its name was changed to "The Executive Office." This change happened after an agreement called the Fresh Start Agreement.
Contents
Who Leads The Executive Office?
The Executive Office is led by two main politicians: the First Minister and the deputy First Minister. They share power and work together to make decisions.
Currently, Arlene Foster from the Democratic Unionist Party is the First Minister. Michelle O'Neill from Sinn Féin is the deputy First Minister. They were both appointed to their roles in January 2020.
They also have help from two junior ministers. These junior ministers assist the First Minister and deputy First Minister with their daily tasks.
What Does The Executive Office Do?
The main goal of The Executive Office is to help create a "peaceful, fair, equal, and successful society" in Northern Ireland. They work on many different projects to achieve this.
Here are some of their most important jobs:
- Supporting the Government: They provide help and support to the entire Northern Ireland Executive. This includes organizing meetings and making sure decisions are carried out.
- Helping Young People: They work on policies and programs for children and young people.
- Promoting Fairness: They try to make sure everyone has equal chances and that different groups get along well.
- Planning for Emergencies: They help plan for big emergencies, like floods or other disasters.
- Investing in the Future: They look for ways to improve Northern Ireland's buildings, roads, and other important structures.
- Working with Other Countries: They handle relationships between Northern Ireland and other countries or regions.
- Connecting with Others: They work closely with the Northern Ireland Assembly (Northern Ireland's parliament) and other important councils. They also talk with departments in the UK Government.
- Fighting Poverty: They work on ways to reduce poverty and help people who are struggling.
- Sustainable Development: They promote ways to grow and develop Northern Ireland without harming the environment for future generations.
- Supporting Victims: They provide help and support to people who were affected by the Troubles, a period of conflict in Northern Ireland's history.
The Executive Office also works with similar government departments in the United Kingdom Government. For example, they work with:
- The Northern Ireland Office, which oversees how Northern Ireland's government works.
- The Cabinet Office, which deals with how the government is organized.
- The Department for Communities and Local Government, which helps with community relations and emergency plans.
- The Government Equalities Office, which focuses on equality for all.
- The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which works on sustainable development.
- The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which handles international relations.
A Brief History of The Executive Office
Before The Executive Office existed, Northern Ireland had a "Prime Minister" from 1921 to 1972. This leader had a special department to help them. However, in 1972, this office was closed. This was when the British Government took over direct control of Northern Ireland. This period was known as direct rule.
Later, in 1998, a very important agreement called the Belfast Agreement was signed. This agreement helped bring peace to Northern Ireland. It led to the creation of a new government for Northern Ireland, called the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Northern Ireland Executive. This process of giving power back to Northern Ireland was called devolution.
The Executive Office was one of five new government departments created in December 1999. The First Minister and deputy First Minister started their roles on December 2, 1999.
Sometimes, the government in Northern Ireland has been put on hold. During these times, the British Government took over again through "direct rule." This happened a few times, for example, between 2002 and 2007. But each time, the Northern Ireland government eventually started working again.
See also
