Minister for Social Protection

Irish government cabinet minister

Minister for Social Protection

Incumbent
Heather Humphreys
since 27 June 2020

Department of Social Protection
Member of|

* Government of Ireland
* Council of the European Union
* Dáil Éireann

Reports to| Taoiseach
Seat| Dublin, Ireland
Appointer| President of Ireland on the nomination of the Taoiseach
Inaugural holder| James Ryan as Minister for Social Welfare
Formation| 22 January 1947
Website| Minister 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[edit]

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[edit]

### Minister for Social Welfare 1947–1997[edit]

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
Dermot Ahern | 26 June 1997  | 12 July 1997  |  | Fianna Fáil | 25th

### Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs 1997–2002[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

Name  | Term of office  | Party  | Government(s)
Éamon Ó Cuív[c] | 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[edit]

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

### Minister for Social Protection 2020–present[edit]

Name  | Term of office  | Party  | Government(s)
Heather Humphreys[d] | 21 October 2020  | Incumbent |  | Fine Gael | 32nd • 33rd

Notes

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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. ^ a b Also Minister for Rural and Community Development and (from 27 April 2021) Minister for Justice.

## References[edit]

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.

## External links[edit]

* Minister for Social Protection

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