Department of the Taoiseach

• Taoiseach: Micheál Martin, TD • Government Chief Whip: Mary Butler, TD • Secretary General of the Department: John Callinan ==Functions==

, Dublin, is the location of the Department of the Taoiseach The main role of the department is to support and advise the Taoiseach in carrying out various duties. The department also supplies administrative support to the Government Chief Whip in respect of their duties and provides the Secretariat to the Government. The department acts as a link between the President, the Taoiseach and other Departments of State. In addition, the Department of the Taoiseach is involved in a number of other areas such as the development and co-ordination of policy in relation to economic and social development (social partnership), Northern Ireland, the European Union and Oireachtas reform. It also arranges State functions such as the annual National Day of Commemoration, presidential inaugurations, State dinners and provides a protocol service to the Taoiseach of the day. ==History==

Article 53 of the Constitution of the Irish Free State created the position of President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State. The department was created by the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 as the Department of the President of the Executive Council, which came into operation on 2 June 1924. Under that act it was assigned: The position of Taoiseach was created under Articles 13.1 and 28.5 of the Constitution of Ireland, which was approved on 1 July 1937. Under the Constitution (Consequential Provisions) Act 1937, the Department of the President of the Executive Council was renamed as the Department of the Taoiseach from and after the coming into operation of the Constitution of Ireland, which occurred on 29 December 1937. ==References==