Rural Policy Review of Ireland 2026

Abbreviations and acronyms

BCPs	Broadband connection points
BNDP	Korea’s Balanced National Development framework
CAP	National Climate Action Plan
CAP	Common Agricultural Policy
CEDRA	Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas
CHNs	Community Healthcare Networks
CSO	Central Statistics Office
DAFM	Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine
DCEDIY	Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration
DE	Department of Education
DECC	Department of Environment, Climate and Communications
DETE	Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
DF	Department of Finance
DFHERIS	Department of Further and High Education, Research, Innovation and Science
DHLGH	Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
DPER	Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
DRCD	Department of Rural and Community Development
DRCDG	Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
DSP	Department of Social Protection
DTCAGSM	Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
EDs	Electoral Divisions
ERDF	European Regional Development Funds
ERDF	European Regional Development Funds
ESF	European Social Fund
ESRI	Economic and Social Research Institute
ETBs	Education and Training Boards
FI	Fáilte Ireland
GAA	Gaelic Athletic Association
GHG	Greenhouse gas
GPTs	Generative Pre-trained Transformers
IDA	Ireland's inward investment promotion and development
ITP	Agritech Industry Transformation Plan
LACAPs	Local Authority Climate Action Plans
LAG	Local Action Group
LCDC	Local Community Development Committee
LDC	Local Development Company
LECPs	Local Economic and Community Plans
LEO	Local Enterprise Office
LGF	Local Government Fund
LPT	Local Property Tax
MD	Municipal District
NAF	National Adaptation Framework
NBP	National Broadband Plan
NDP	National Development Plan
NPF	National Planning Framework
NTA	National Transport Authority
ORF	Our Rural Future
PPNs	Public Participation Networks
RRDF	Rural Regeneration and Development Fund
RSESs	Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies
RTUs	Regional Technological Universities
SICAP	Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme
SOLAS	State agency responsible for further education and training
TCF	Town Centre First
URDF	Urban Regeneration and Development Fund
WDC	Western Development Commission

Note on department names

In 2025, an Irish government reshuffle renamed and reallocated functions for nine of the 18 departments. This publication references the departments as they existed when the OECD visited and conducted research in Ireland. The table below lists the departments as they exist today.

 

 

Previous Department name (pre-2025)	New Department name (as of 2025)
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth	Department of Children, Disability and Equality
Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications	Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment
Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media	Department of Culture, Communications and Sport
Department of Foreign Affairs	Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Department of Justice	Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
Department of Education	Department of Education and Youth
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment	Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment
Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform	Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation
Department of Rural and Community Development	Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
Departments that retained the same name
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Department of Defense
Department of Finance
Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Department of Health
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation
Department of Social Protection
Department of the Taoiseach
Department of Transport