Minister for Social Protection
Incumbent
Heather Humphreys
since 27 June 2020
Department of Social Protection
Member of
Reports toTaoiseach
SeatDublin, Ireland
AppointerPresident of Ireland on the nomination of the Taoiseach
Inaugural holderJames Ryan as Minister for Social Welfare
Formation22 January 1947
WebsiteMinister for Social Protection

The Minister for Social Protection (Irish: An tAire Cosanta Sóisialta) is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Social Protection.

The current Minister for Social Protection is Heather Humphreys. She is also Minister for Rural and Community Development and Minister for Justice. She is assisted by two Ministers of State:

  • Joe O'Brien, TD – Minister of State for Community Development and Charities
  • Neale Richmond, TD – Minister of State for Redundancy and Insolvency Operations and Employer Services[1]

Overview

The position was created in 1947 as the Minister for Social Welfare.[2] Its present title dates from 2020.[3] 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)[lower-alpha 1] 22 January 1947 18 February 1948 Fianna Fáil 4th
William Norton 18 February 1948 14 June 1951 Labour 5th
James Ryan (2nd time)[lower-alpha 1] 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[lower-alpha 1] 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)[lower-alpha 1] 14 March 1973 5 July 1977 Labour 14th
Charles Haughey[lower-alpha 1] 5 July 1977 12 December 1979 Fianna Fáil 15th
Michael Woods (1st time)[lower-alpha 1] 12 December 1979 30 June 1981 Fianna Fáil 16th
Eileen Desmond[lower-alpha 1] 30 June 1981 9 March 1982 Labour 17th
Michael Woods (2nd time)[lower-alpha 1] 9 March 1982 14 December 1982 Fianna Fáil 18th
Barry Desmond[lower-alpha 1] 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)[lower-alpha 2] 12 January 1993 15 December 1994 Fianna Fáil 23rd
Proinsias De Rossa 15 December 1994 26 June 1997 Democratic Left 24th
Dermot Ahern 26 June 1997 12 July 1997 Fianna Fáil 25th

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs 1997–2002

Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Dermot Ahern 12 July 1997 6 June 2002 Fianna Fáil 25th
Mary Coughlan 6 June 2002 19 June 2002 Fianna Fáil 26th

Minister for Social and Family Affairs 2002–2010

Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Mary Coughlan 19 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
Éamon Ó Cuív 23 March 2010 2 May 2010 Fianna Fáil 28th

Minister for Social Protection 2010–2017

Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Éamon Ó Cuív[lower-alpha 3] 2 May 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
Regina Doherty 14 June 2017 2 September 2017 Fine Gael 31st

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection 2017–2020

Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Regina Doherty 2 September 2017 27 June 2020 Fine Gael 31st
Heather Humphreys[lower-alpha 4] 27 June 2020 21 October 2020 Fine Gael 32nd

Minister for Social Protection 2020–present

Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Heather Humphreys[lower-alpha 4] 21 October 2020 Incumbent Fine Gael 32nd • 33rd
Notes
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Also Minister for Health.
  2. ↑ Also Minister for Health from 17 November to 15 December 1994.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. 1 2 Also Minister for Rural and Community Development and (from 27 April 2021) Minister for Justice.

References

  1. ↑ "List of Ministers and Ministers of State". Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  2. ↑ Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1946, s. 3: The Department of Social Welfare (No. 38 of 1946, s. 3). Enacted on 24 December 1946. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 30 April 2021.
  3. ↑ Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 447 of 2020). Signed on 20 October 2020. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 30 April 2021.
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