Assembly committee chairs

Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

OFMdFM is responsible for supporting Ministers and the institutions of government, building a programme for government and modernising government programme, promoting better community relations, a culture of equality and rights, and targeting social need and promoting social inclusion.

First Minister: Peter Robinson MLA, DUP

deputy First Minister: Martin McGuinness MP MLA, Sinn Fein

Junior Minister: Robin Newton MLA, DUP

Junior Minister: Gerry Kelly MLA, Sinn Fein

For more information, visit the OFMdFM website

Committee for the Ofiice of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

Chair of OFMdFM Committee: Danny Kennedy MLA, UUP

Deputy Chair Of OFMdFM Committee: Dr Stephen Farry MLA, Alliance

For more information, visit the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister's webpage

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD)

DARD is responsible for the development of the agricultural, forestry and fishing industries in Northern Ireland, rural development in Northern Ireland, providing an advisory service for farmers, agricultural research and education, providing a veterinary service and administration of animal health and welfare policies, and the application of EU agricultural policy to Northern Ireland.

For more information visit the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development website

Committee for Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

Chair of DARD Committee: Stephen Moutray MLA, DUP

Deputy Chair of DARD Committee: Tom Elliott MLA, UUP

For more information visit the Agriculture and Rural Development webpage

Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL)

DCAL is responsible in Northern Ireland for arts and creativity, museums, libraries, sport and leisure, visitor amenities, inland waterways and inland fisheries, Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, language diversity and the Northern Ireland Events Company.

Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure: Nelson McCausland MLA, DUP

For further information visit the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure website

Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure

Chair of Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee: Barry McElduff MLA, Sinn Fein

Deputy Chair of Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee: Declan O'Loan MLA, SDLP

For further information visit the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure webpage

Department of Education (DE)

DE is responsible for the central administration of all aspects of education and related services in Northern Ireland (except the higher and further education sector). The main areas of responsibility are in pre-school, primary, post-primary and special education, the youth service, the promotion of community relations within and between schools, and teacher education and salaries.

Minister of Education Catríona Ruane MLA, Sinn Fein

For more information visit the Department of Education website

Committee for Education

Chair of Education Committee: Mervyn Storey MLA, DUP

Deputy Chair of Education Committee: David Hilditch MLA, DUP

For more information visit the Committee for Education webpage

Department for Employment and Learning (DEL)

DEL is responsible for third level education, training and a range of employment measures, all aimed at giving people the skills, knowledge and opportunities to work.  This includes vocational training, student support, postgraduate awards, training grants and skills development

Minister of Employment and Learning: Danny Kennedy MLA, UUP

For more information visit the Department for Employment and Learning website

Committee for the Department of Employment and Learning

Chair of Employment and Learning Committee: Dolores Kelly MLA, SDLP

Deputy Chair of Employment and Learning Committee: Jonathan Bell MLA, DUP

For more information visit the Committee Department of Employment and Learning webpage

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI)

DETI is responsible for economic policy development, energy, tourism, mineral development, health and safety at work, Companies Registry, Insolvency Service, consumer affairs, labour market and economic statistics services.

It also has a role in ensuring the provision of the infrastructure for a modern economy.

Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment Arlene Foster MLA, DUP

For more information visit the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment website 

Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment

Chair of Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment: Alban Maginness MLA SDLP

Deputy Chair of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment: Paul Butler MLA, Sinn Fein

For more information visit the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment webpage

Department of the Environment (DOE)

DoE is responsible for protecting, conserving and enhancing the natural and built environment for the benefit of present and future generations, providing land use planning which balances the development needs of the region with the protection of the environment, improving and promoting road safety and ensuring the proper regulation of drivers, vehicles and operators, and supporting a system of local government which meets the needs of citizens and ratepayers.

Minister of the Environment: Edwin Poots MLA, DUP

For more information visit the Department of the Environment website

Committee for the Environment

Chair of the Committee for the Environment: Cathal Boylan MLA, Sinn Fein

Deputy Chair of the Committee for the Environment: Pasty McClone MLA, SDLP

For more information visit the Committee for the Environment webpage

Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP)

DFP and its agencies are responsible for a variety of functions, many of which are carried out centrally on behalf of the Civil Service as a whole.  These include Business Development Service, Central Finance Group, Central Personnel Group, Central Procurement Directorate, Corporate Services Group, Departmental Solicitors' Office, Land Registers of NI, NI Statistics and Research Agency, Office of Law Reform, Rates Collection Agency and Valuation and Lands Agency.

Minister of Finance and Personnel: Sammy Wilson MP MLA, DUP

For more information visit the Department of Finance and Personnel website

Committee for Finance and Personnel

Chair of Finance and Personnel Committee: Jennifer McCann MLA, Sinn Fein

Deputy Chair of Finance and Personnel Committee: David McNarry MLA, UUP

For more information visit the Committee for Finance and Personnel webpage

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSS&PS)

DHSSPS is responsible for Health and Personal Social Services, which includes policy and legislation for hospitals, family practitioner services, community health and personal social services; Public Health, which covers responsibility for policy and legislation to promote and protect the health and well-being of the population; and Public Safety, which encompasses responsibility for the policy and legislation for the Fire Authority, food safety and emergency planning.

Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety: Michael McGimpsey, MLA, UUP

For more information visit the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety website

Committeee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety

Chair of the Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee: Jim Wells MLA, DUP

Deputy Chair of the Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee: Michelle O'Neill MLA, Sinn Fein

For more information visit the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety webpage

Department of Justice

The Department of Justice has a range of devolved policing and justice functions set out in the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010. The Department has five Agencies: Northern Ireland Prison Service, Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service, Compensation Agency, Forensic Science Agency and the Youth Justice Agency. The Department also sponsors a number of Non-Departmental Public Bodies/bodies affiliated with policing and justice.

Minister of Justice: David Ford MLA, Alliance

For more information visit the Department of Justice Website

Committee for Justice

Chair of the Justice Committee: Lord Morrow MLA, DUP

Deputy of the Justice Committee: Raymond McCartney MLA, Sinn Fein

For more information visit the Justice Committee webpage

Department for Regional Development (DRD)

DRD is responsible for strategic planning, transportation strategy, ports and public transport, roads and water policy, providing and maintaining roads, and providing and maintaining water and sewerage services.

Minister for Regional Development: Conor Murphy MP MLA, Sinn Fein

For more information visit the Department for Regional Development website

Committee for Regional Development

Chair of the Regional Development Committee: Fred Cobain MLA, UUP

Deputy Chair of the Regional Development Committee: Michelle McIlveen MLA, DUP

For further information visit the Committee for Regional Development webpage

Department for Social Development (DSD)

DSD has responsibility for urban regeneration, voluntary and community sector development, social legislation, housing, social security benefits, pensions and child support.

Minister for Social Development: Alex Attwood MLA, SDLP

For more information visit the Department for Social Development website

Committee for Social Development

Chair of the Social Development Committee: Simon Hamilton MLA, DUP

Deputy Cahir of the Social Development Committee: Carál Ní Chuilín MLA, Sinn Fein

For further information visit the Committee for Social Development webpage 

For further information on any of the Government Departments, visit the policy resources page or contact the policy team on 028 9087 7777