Economic Division

Economic Policy Unit

This unit advises the Taoiseach on policy aimed at promoting a sustainable and resilient economy with a particular focus on jobs, competitiveness, labour market, enterprise and skills issues.

It maintains an overview of important sectoral or policy issues with wider economic impacts, including housing and pensions. It supports Cabinet Committee A, which deals with the economy and its associated interdepartmental Senior Officials’ Groups.

It monitors and reports on implementation of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, a multi-annual, cross-governmental approach to support job creation.

The unit also co-ordinates Ireland’s National Reform Programme, which is produced and submitted to the European Commission annually. It also liaises, on behalf of the department, with the Central Statistics Office (CSO) – the independent national body responsible for collating and publishing official statistics.

Economic Infrastructure, Regulation and Climate Change Unit

This unit supports the work of the Taoiseach and government in building a sustainable economy through sustainable development, with a particular focus on driving and informing the development of key infrastructure priorities, economic regulation, regional and rural development, action on climate change, as well as the national risk assessment process.

The unit plays a central role in the formulation and implementation of relevant government policies, managing and supporting the work of 'whole of government' structures – including Cabinet Committee D and Cabinet Committee G and related Senior Officials' Groups – to ensure effective and timely delivery.

Data Protection Unit

This unit supports the Minister of State with responsibility for Data Protection and contributes to a 'whole of government' approach to the issues and challenges arising from the increasing digitisation of modern life and the associated significant increase in the amount of personal data generated.

The unit supports the work of Cabinet Committee A in relation to the digital economy.