ráðuneytið

Ráðuneytið is the Icelandic term for a government ministry. In Icelandic government, a ráðuneyti is a state institution within the executive branch that is responsible for a defined policy area. Each ráðuneyti is headed by a minister (ráðherra), who is a member of the government and appointed by the Prime Minister. A ministry is staffed by civil servants, led by a senior administrator or permanent secretary, who oversee the ministry’s day-to-day affairs and the implementation of government policy.

Functions of a ráðuneyti include policy development within its remit, drafting and reviewing legislation, administration of public services and regulatory duties, and input to the state budget. Ministries coordinate with other ministries, agencies, and local authorities as appropriate, and work to implement laws passed by the Alþingi (the Icelandic Parliament). They are subject to parliamentary oversight, audits, and annual reporting.

The Prime Minister's Office, or Forsætisráðuneytið, coordinates cabinet work; ministers report to the Prime Minister and operate within the wider government. The plural ráðuneyti can refer to all government ministries collectively or to a single ministry when context specifies.