Government administration department
Z Encyklopedia Administracji Publicznej
GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT – a set of matters distinguished in terms of subject-matter, only from the objective point of view, which are clearly distinguished in the Act on government administration departments. The number of d. is variable, according to the legal status as on December 2017, it amounts to 36 (e.g., public administration, finances, economy, science, national defence, agriculture, justice, environment). D. is headed by a minister, e.g., a minister competent for public administration. The ministers entrusted with the administration of government administration departments, apart from the function of a government member, also play the role of the supreme single-person government administration body that has its own legally distinct competences. No specific administrative structure is assigned, subject-matter is key. The only indication is that the relevant department is directed by the minister competent for matters that are contained in a given department. One minister may manage several departments at the same time (hence, the term minister competent for matters is used in legal acts), and the ministry may combine several departments, such as the Ministry of the Interior and Administration. The division in ministries into individual departments is also based on existing departments (→ department) [ A. Jarosz ].
Literature: H. Izdebski, M. Kulesza, Administracja publiczna. Zagadnienia ogólne, Warszawa 2004 ■ J. Zimmermann, Prawo administracyjne, Warszawa 2016 ■ E. Zieliński, Administracja rządowa i samorządowa w Polsce, Warszawa 2013.