Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
|
|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine | |
| Member of | |
| Reports to | Taoiseach |
| Seat | Dublin, Ireland |
| Appointer | President of Ireland on the nomination of the Taoiseach |
| Inaugural holder | Robert Barton as Director of Agriculture |
| Formation | 2 April 1919 |
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The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Irish: An tAire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara) is a very important person in the Government of Ireland. This minister leads a big team called the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Their main job is to look after farming, food, and everything to do with the sea in Ireland.
Over time, the name of this job has changed a few times. It was often just called the Minister for Agriculture.
The person who holds this job right now is Charlie McConalogue. He gets help from two other ministers. They are called Ministers of State.
- Senator Pippa Hackett helps with land use and protecting nature.
- Martin Heydon, TD, helps with research, farm safety, and finding new markets for Irish products.
Contents
What Does the Minister Do?
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and their department have many important tasks. They work to keep Ireland's farms, food, and sea industries strong and safe.
Helping Farmers and Fishermen
- They give advice and create plans for all areas they are in charge of. This includes farming, fishing, and forestry.
- They represent Ireland in important talks, especially with the European Union.
- They create and run special programs to help farmers, fishermen, and people in the countryside. These programs can be from Ireland or the EU.
Keeping Food Safe
- A big part of their job is making sure our food is safe to eat. They check and control different parts of food safety.
- They also make sure that animals and plants are healthy. They look after animal welfare too.
Rules and Support
- The department makes sure that rules for farming, fishing, and food are followed. These rules come from Ireland and the EU.
- They also watch how public money is spent in their areas. They make sure it is used correctly.
- They work with other groups that help with research and training. These groups also help promote Irish food and farm products.
- They directly provide services to support farming, fishing, and forestry.
History of the Minister's Job
The job of looking after agriculture in Ireland has been around for a long time. It started even before the modern Irish government.
Early Days: Director and Secretary
The first person to lead this area was called the Director of Agriculture. This was Robert Barton in 1919. Later, the job was called Secretary for Agriculture.
Changing Titles Over Time
The title of the minister has changed many times.
- From 1922 to 1924, it was the Minister for Agriculture.
- Then, from 1924 to 1928, it became the Minister for Lands and Agriculture.
- For a long time, from 1928 to 1965, it was simply the Minister for Agriculture again.
- In 1965, "Fisheries" was added, making it the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries.
- The name changed back to Minister for Agriculture in 1977.
- In 1987, "Food" was added, so it became Minister for Agriculture and Food.
- From 1993 to 1997, it was the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
- It went back to Minister for Agriculture and Food in 1997.
- In 1999, "Rural Development" was added, making it Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.
- It changed back to Minister for Agriculture and Food in 2002.
- In 2007, "Fisheries" was added again, becoming Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
- Finally, since 2011, the job has been known as the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. This is the name it has today.
The current Minister, Charlie McConalogue, started his role on September 2, 2020.
