Northern Ireland Office

Who we are: The Northern Ireland Office employs around 135 staff, with offices in both Belfast and London. The Crown Solicitors Office in Belfast, which provides legal services in Northern Ireland to all Whitehall departments and to other public bodies in Northern Ireland, is also within the departmental boundary of the Northern Ireland Office. What we do: We ensure the smooth working of the devolution settlement in Northern Ireland. We represent Northern Ireland interests within the UK government and we represent UK Government in Northern Ireland. We are responsible for: representing Northern Ireland interests within the UK government; representing the UK government in Northern Ireland; working in partnership with the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) to bring about a stable, prosperous Northern Ireland; supporting and implementing political agreements to increase stability. Our priorities are: working with the NIE to rebalance the Northern Ireland economy, promoting growth, trade and encouraging inward investment; supporting reconciliation and the NIE’s objective of building a shared future for all, while acknowledging the past; supporting democracy and taking the lead against the terrorism and violence that threatens national security; working closely with the Irish government on matters of common interest.