Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (An Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán) is a department of the Government of Ireland. The mission of the department is to promote and develop Ireland's tourism, culture, and art; and to advance the use of the Irish language, including the development of the Gaeltacht. It is led by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

Departmental team
The official headquarters and ministerial offices of the department are on Kildare Street, Dublin. The department also has offices in South Frederick Street in Dublin, Na Forbacha in Galway and in New Road, Killarney, County Kerry. The departmental team consists of the following:
 * Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media: Catherine Martin, TD
 * Minister of State for the Gaeltacht: Thomas Byrne, TD
 * Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education: Thomas Byrne, TD
 * Secretary General of the Department: Feargal Ó Coigligh

Overview
In carrying out its mandate the department undertakes a variety of functions including:
 * formulation, development and evaluation of policy and structures to promote and foster the practice and appreciation of the creative and interpretative arts and to encourage the development of the Irish film industry;
 * enabling the national cultural institutions to preserve and protect Ireland's movable heritage and cultural assets;
 * creating an environment enabling the National Cultural Institutions to flourish through the provision of financial resources and an appropriate policy framework.

The department is responsible for funding national cultural institutions such as: and organisations such as:
 * National Gallery of Ireland
 * National Library of Ireland
 * National Museum of Ireland
 * Arts Council of Ireland (which also acts as the "Cultural Contact Point" to access EU cultural programme funding);
 * Culture Ireland

History
The department was created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1977 as the Department of Economic Planning and Development, an act of the 15th Government of Ireland led by Jack Lynch. This act provided its function as: "(a) to promote and coordinate economic and social planning for the development of the economy both generally and as respects different sectors thereof and different regions of the country, (b) to identify the policies it considers necessary for general economic and social development and to report thereon to the Government,

(c) to identify in consultation with Departments of State and to review and appraise the plans and activities of such Departments giving effect to the policies for general economic and social development adopted by the Government,

(d) to make proposals to the Government for the coordination of the plans and activities referred to in paragraph (c) of this subsection and for their integration with national economic and social plans and

(e) to review the implementation of such national economic and social plans as may be approved by the Government from time to time and to report thereon to the Government."

Over the years the name and functions of the department have changed several times.