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Minister for Social Protection
Irish government cabinet minister
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The minister for social protection (Irish: An tAire Coimirce Sóisialaí) is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Social Protection.
StatusCabinet minister
Reports toTaoiseach
| Minister for Social Protection | |
|---|---|
| |
| Department of Social Protection | |
| Type | Social security minister |
| Status | Cabinet minister |
| Member of | |
| Reports to | Taoiseach |
| Seat | Dublin, Ireland |
| Nominator | Taoiseach |
| Appointer | President of Ireland (on the advice of the Taoiseach) |
| Inaugural holder | James Ryan as Minister for Social Welfare |
| Formation | 22 January 1947 |
| Salary | €210,750 (2025) (including €115,953 TD salary)[1] |
| Website | Official website  |
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The minister for social protection since January 2025[update] is Dara Calleary. He is also Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.
Overview
The position was created in 1947 as the minister for social welfare.[2][3] Its present title dates from 2020.[4] The department formulates appropriate social protection policies and administers and manages the delivery of statutory and non-statutory schemes and services. It is also responsible for the delivery of a range of social insurance and social assistance schemes including provision for unemployment, illness, maternity, caring, widowhood, retirement and old age.
List of office-holders
Minister for Social Welfare 1947–1997 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Ryan (1st time)[a] |
22 January 1947 | 18 February 1948 | Fianna Fáil | 4th | |
| William Norton | 18 February 1948 | 14 June 1951 | Labour | 5th | |
| James Ryan (2nd time)[a] |
14 June 1951 | 2 June 1954 | Fianna Fáil | 6th | |
| Brendan Corish (1st time) |
2 June 1954 | 20 March 1957 | Labour | 7th | |
| Paddy Smith | 20 March 1957 | 27 November 1957 | Fianna Fáil | 8th | |
| Seán MacEntee[a] | 27 November 1957 | 12 October 1961 | Fianna Fáil | 8th • 9th | |
| Kevin Boland (1st time) |
12 October 1961 | 16 November 1966 | Fianna Fáil | 10th • 11th | |
| Joseph Brennan (1st time) |
16 November 1966 | 2 July 1969 | Fianna Fáil | 12th | |
| Kevin Boland (2nd time) |
2 July 1969 | 6 May 1970 | Fianna Fáil | 13th | |
| Joseph Brennan (2nd time) |
6 May 1970 | 14 March 1973 | Fianna Fáil | 13th | |
| Brendan Corish (2nd time)[a] |
14 March 1973 | 5 July 1977 | Labour | 14th | |
| Charles Haughey[a] | 5 July 1977 | 12 December 1979 | Fianna Fáil | 15th | |
| Michael Woods (1st time)[a] |
12 December 1979 | 30 June 1981 | Fianna Fáil | 16th | |
| Eileen Desmond[a] | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | Labour | 17th | |
| Michael Woods (2nd time)[a] |
9 March 1982 | 14 December 1982 | Fianna Fáil | 18th | |
| Barry Desmond[a] | 14 December 1982 | 14 February 1986 | Labour | 19th | |
| Gemma Hussey | 14 February 1986 | 10 March 1987 | Fine Gael | 19th | |
| Michael Woods (3rd time) |
10 March 1987 | 13 November 1991 | Fianna Fáil | 20th • 21st | |
| Brendan Daly | 13 November 1991 | 11 February 1992 | Fianna Fáil | 21st | |
| Charlie McCreevy | 11 February 1992 | 12 January 1993 | Fianna Fáil | 22nd | |
| Michael Woods (4th time)[b] |
12 January 1993 | 15 December 1994 | Fianna Fáil | 23rd | |
| Proinsias De Rossa | 15 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | Democratic Left | 24th | |
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs 1997–2002 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Dermot Ahern | 26 June 1997 | 6 June 2002 | Fianna Fáil | 25th | |
Minister for Social and Family Affairs 2002–2010 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Mary Coughlan | 6 June 2002 | 29 September 2004 | Fianna Fáil | 26th | |
| Séamus Brennan | 29 September 2004 | 14 June 2007 | Fianna Fáil | 26th | |
| Martin Cullen | 14 June 2007 | 7 May 2008 | Fianna Fáil | 27th | |
| Mary Hanafin | 7 May 2008 | 23 March 2010 | Fianna Fáil | 28th | |
Minister for Social Protection 2010–2017 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Éamon Ó Cuív[c] | 23 March 2010 | 9 March 2011 | Fianna Fáil | 28th | |
| Joan Burton | 9 March 2011 | 6 May 2016 | Labour | 29th | |
| Leo Varadkar | 6 May 2016 | 14 June 2017 | Fine Gael | 30th | |
Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection 2017–2020 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Regina Doherty | 14 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | Fine Gael | 31st | |
Minister for Social Protection 2020–present | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Heather Humphreys[d] | 27 June 2020 | 23 January 2025 | Fine Gael | 32nd • 33rd • 34th | |
| Dara Calleary[e] | 23 January 2025 | Incumbent | Fianna Fáil | 35th | |
- Notes
- Also Minister for Health.
- Also Minister for Health from 17 November to 15 December 1994.
- Also Minister for Defence from 20 January to 9 March 2011 and Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government from 23 January to 9 March 2011.
- Also Minister for Rural and Community Development and (from 27 April to 1 November 2021 and from 25 November to 17 December 2022) Minister for Justice.