:Department for Employment and Learning

{{Short description|Defunct Northern Irish government department}}

{{Infobox government agency

|agency_name = Department for Employment and Learning

|nativename = An Roinn Fostaíochta agus Foghlama; Ulster Scots: Depairtment for Employ an Learnin

|type = Department

|logo = Department for Employment and Learning logo.svg

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|formed = December 1999 (as Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment)

||preceding1 = Department of Economic Development & Department of Education

|dissolved = 6 May 2016

|superseding = Department for the Economy
Department for Communities

|jurisdiction = Northern Ireland

|headquarters = Adelaide House, 39–49 Adelaide Street, Belfast, BT2 8FD

|employees = 2,111 (September 2011){{cite web|url=http://www.detini.gov.uk/sep_11_table_5.14.xls |title=Northern Ireland Quarterly Employment Survey Historical Data |publisher=Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment |accessdate=28 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316161140/http://www.detini.gov.uk/sep_11_table_5.14.xls |archivedate=16 March 2012 }}

|budget = £787.3 million (current) & £41.2 million (capital) for 2011–12{{cite web|url=http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/revised_budget_-_website_version.pdf |title=Budget 2011–15 |publisher=Department of Finance and Personnel |accessdate=28 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111213120114/http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/revised_budget_-_website_version.pdf |archivedate=13 December 2011 }}

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|website = [http://www.delni.gov.uk www.delni.gov.uk]

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The Department for Employment and Learning (DEL), ({{langx|ga|An Roinn Fostaíochta agus Foghlama}};{{cite web |url=http://www.delni.gov.uk/customer_service_standards_2007_2008_translated_into_irish.pdf |title=Customer Service Standards 2007–2008 |accessdate=3 March 2009 |publisher=Department for Employment and Learning |language=Irish |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327121503/http://www.delni.gov.uk/customer_service_standards_2007_2008_translated_into_irish.pdf |archivedate=27 March 2009 |df=dmy-all }} Ulster Scots: Depairtment for Employ an Learnin),{{cite web |url=http://www.delni.gov.uk/customer_service_standards_2007_2008_translated_into_ulster_scots.pdf |title=Customer Service Standards 2007–2008 |accessdate=3 March 2009 |publisher=Department for Employment and Learning |language=Scots |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327121455/http://www.delni.gov.uk/customer_service_standards_2007_2008_translated_into_ulster_scots.pdf |archivedate=27 March 2009 |df=dmy-all }} was a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility for the department was the Minister for Employment and Learning. The department was initially known as the Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment (DHFETE), between 1999 and 2001.

Following the Fresh Start Agreement of November 2015, DEL was dissolved and its functions transferred to the Department for the Economy and Department for Communities, in order to reduce the size of the Northern Ireland Executive.

Aim

DEL's overall aim was to "promote learning and skills, to prepare people for work and to support the economy".Northern Ireland Budget 2011–15, page 53

Responsibilities

The department's network of 'job centres' and 'jobs and benefits offices' advertised job opportunities for Northern Ireland residents. It was also responsible for policy in the following areas:[http://www.delni.gov.uk/index/about-the-dept.htm DEL: About the Department] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080419003354/http://www.delni.gov.uk/index/about-the-dept.htm |date=19 April 2008 }}

further education
higher education
skills and training
employment rights and responsibilities

The Department of Education was responsible for all other levels of education in Northern Ireland.[http://www.deni.gov.uk/index/85-about-the-dept.htm About the Department of Education]

DEL's main counterparts in the United Kingdom Government were:

the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (including employment relations); and[http://www.bis.gov.uk/about BIS: About BIS]
the Department for Work and Pensions (on general employment policy).[http://www.dwp.gov.uk/about-dwp/ministers/ DWP: About DWP]

In the Irish Government, its main counterparts were:

the Department of Educations;[http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?pcategory=17216&ecategory=20662&language=EN Department of Education: Functions]
the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (on employment).[https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Innovation-Research-Development/ Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315180331/http://www.djei.ie/aboutus.htm |date=15 March 2012 }}

History

Following a referendum on the Belfast Agreement on 23 May 1998 and the granting of royal assent to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 on 19 November 1998, a Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive were established by the United Kingdom Government under Prime Minister Tony Blair. The process was known as devolution and was set up to return devolved legislative powers to Northern Ireland. DEL is one of five new devolved Northern Ireland departments created in December 1999 by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and The Departments (Northern Ireland) Order 1999.

The department was named the Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment until 20 July 2001 but was changed to its current title as the initials DHEFETE were pronounced as "Defeat".http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/northernireland/acts/acts2001/pdf/nia_20010015_en.pdf Department for Employment and Learning Act (Northern Ireland) 2001

A devolved minister first took office on 2 December 1999. Devolution was suspended for four periods, during which the department came under the responsibility of direct rule ministers from the Northern Ireland Office:

between 12 February 2000Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Commencement) Order 2000 and 30 May 2000;Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) Order 2000
on 11 August 2001;Article 1, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Suspension of Devolved Government) Order 2001Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) Order 2001
on 22 September 2001;Article 1, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Suspension of Devolved Government) (No.2) Order 2001Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) (No.2) Order 2001
between 15 October 2002Article 1, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Suspension of Devolved Government) Order 2002 and 8 May 2007.Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) Order 2007

Since 8 May 2007, devolution has operated without interruption. The Independent Review of Economic Policy, which reported in September 2009, recommended a single economic policy department within the Northern Ireland Executive, which would result in the abolition of DEL.{{cite web|title=Independent Review of Economic Policy|url=http://www.irep.org.uk/publications.html|publisher=Independent Review of Economic Policy (Northern Ireland)|accessdate=29 March 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007102103/http://www.irep.org.uk/publications.html|archivedate=7 October 2011|df=dmy-all}}

On 11 January 2012, the First Minister and deputy First Minister, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness respectively, announced their intention to abolish the department.{{cite web|title=Justice 2012 – Stormont Castle proposals|url=http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/index/media-centre/news-departments/news-ofmdfm/news-releases-archive-ofmdfm-jan-2012/news-ofmdfm-10112-justice-2012-stormont.htm|publisher=Northern Ireland Executive|accessdate=29 March 2012|date=11 January 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120423113009/http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/index/media-centre/news-departments/news-ofmdfm/news-releases-archive-ofmdfm-jan-2012/news-ofmdfm-10112-justice-2012-stormont.htm|archivedate=23 April 2012|df=dmy-all}} The department's functions would be "divided principally" between the Department of Education and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment "in an agreed manner".

The proposal was resisted by the Alliance Party,{{cite web|title=Ford says cutting Department for Employment and Learning could damage economy|url=http://allianceparty.org/article/2012/006237/ford-says-cutting-department-for-employment-and-learning-could-damage-economy|publisher=Alliance Party of Northern Ireland|accessdate=29 March 2012|date=11 January 2012}} which viewed it as "power grab" by the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin, but was approved on 18 January 2012.{{cite web|title=Justice 2012 – The Way Forward|url=http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/index/media-centre/news-departments/news-ofmdfm/news-releases-archive-ofmdfm-jan-2012/news-ofmdfm-180112-justice-2012-the.htm|publisher=Northern Ireland Executive|accessdate=29 March 2012|date=18 January 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120423112958/http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/index/media-centre/news-departments/news-ofmdfm/news-releases-archive-ofmdfm-jan-2012/news-ofmdfm-180112-justice-2012-the.htm|archivedate=23 April 2012|df=dmy-all}} No timescale for the abolition was outlined and the department remained in operation, as of February 2015.

Ministers for Employment and Learning

class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
bgcolor=cccccc ! !!Minister!!IMage!!Party!!Took office!!Left office
style="background:{{party color\|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" \|	Sean Farren	60px	{{party shortname\|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}	29 November 1999	11 February 2000
colspan="5" align="center"\| Office suspended
style="background:{{party color\|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" \|	Sean Farren	60px	{{party shortname\|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}	30 May 2000	13 December 2001Office suspended for 24 hours on 11 August 2001 and 22 September 2001
style="background:{{party color\|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" \|	Carmel Hanna	60px	{{party shortname\|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}	14 December 2001	14 October 2002
colspan="5" align="center"\| Office suspended
style="background:{{party color\|Ulster Unionist Party}}" \|	Sir Reg Empey	60px	{{party shortname\|Ulster Unionist Party}}	14 May 2007	27 October 2010
style="background:{{party color\|Ulster Unionist Party}}" \|	Danny Kennedy	60px	{{party shortname\|Ulster Unionist Party}}	27 October 2010	4 May 2011
style="background:{{party color\|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}}" \|	Stephen Farry	60px	{{party shortname\|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}}	16 May 2011	30 March 2016

=Direct rule ministers=

During the periods of suspension, the following ministers of the Northern Ireland Office were responsible for the department:

Adam Ingram (2000)
Jane Kennedy (2002–04)
Barry Gardiner (2004–05)
Angela Smith (2005–06)
Maria Eagle (2006–07)

References

External links

[http://www.delni.gov.uk DEL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050701004619/http://www.delni.gov.uk/ |date=1 July 2005 }}
{{cite web|url= http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1999/uksi_19990283_en.pdf |title=The Departments (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 }} {{small|(37.0 KB)}}
{{cite web|url= http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/northernireland/acts/acts2001/pdf/nia_20010015_en.pdf |title=Department for Employment and Learning Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 }} {{small|(132.0 KB)}}

Category:Education policy in the United Kingdom

Northern Ireland

Category:Northern Ireland Executive

Category:Education administration in Northern Ireland

Category:Ministries established in 1999

Category:1999 establishments in Northern Ireland