The Minister for Finance is the senior minister at the Department of Finance (An Roinn Airgeadais) in the Irish Government. The current Minister for Finance is Brian Cowen, TD; he is assisted by Tom Parlon, TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works.
Government Buildings, Dublin, is the location of the Department of Finance
The Minister for Finance holds the second most important ministerial position in the Irish Cabinet after that of the Taoiseach. He or she is in charge of the Department of Finance (An Roinn Airgeadais), often referred to colloquially as the Irish Exchequer, responsible for all financial matters in the Republic of Ireland. The Minister for Finance must be a member of Dáil Éireann. One of the most important aspects of the Minister's work is the creation of the annual Budget which is announced to the Dáil in a speech delivered on the first Wednesday of December. In the Budget the Minister details the Government's spending programme for the coming year.
The Department of Finance has a central role in implementing Government policy, in particular the Programme for Government, and in advising and supporting the Minister for Finance and the Government on the economic and financial management of the State and the overall management and development of the public sector. According to the Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924 the Department of Finance is responsible for ".... the administration and business generally of the public finance of Ireland and all powers, duties and functions connected with the same, including in particular, the collection and expenditure of the revenues of Ireland from whatever source arising...."
There are a number of divisions within the Department of Finance. They are:
Banking, Finance and International Division - this Division deals with the raising and provision of money for State purpose.
Budget and Economic Division - deals with budgetary policy, taxation policy, incomes policy, economic forecasting and analysis and demand management.
Public Expenditure Division - to establish and review short-term and medium-term current and capital public expenditure targets.
Personnel and Remuneration Division - advises the Government on general policy on pay and conditions and in particular on such policy in relation to the public sector.
Organisation, Management and Training Division - this Division has overall responsibility for the management and development of the civil service.
Corporate Services Division - is responsible also for co-ordinating the Department's strategic management process.
