The Representative Church Body or RCB (www.ireland.anglican.org/rcb) was incorporated by Charter in 1870 under the provisions of the Irish Church Act 1869. Its legal structure is that of charitable trustee or trust corporation. It is governed by the Constitution of the Church of Ireland and accountable both to the General Synod (in relation to Church regulations) and to the Civil authorities (in relation to its responsibilities as trustee).

The principal function of the RCB is to hold property on behalf of the Church of Ireland as an incorporated trustee with perpetual succession (it does not have to appoint individual named trustees) and to administer funds in accordance with the underlying trusts.

Its main activities involve management of investments, administration of trusts and deeds of covenant, payment of clergy stipends and pensions, custodial and legal services as corporate trustee of property, legal transactions and treasury management as well as supporting the central governance of the Church and providing substantial finance for the sustentation of the clergy and pensioners, training of ordinands, education, youth, communications etc.

The membership of the RCB consists of the Archbishops and Bishops (ex-officio), members elected by the dioceses and twelve co-opted members.