| Post | Minister for Social Protection |
|---|---|
| Insignia | Irish Department of Social Protection.png |
| Insigniasize | 230px |
| Incumbent | Dara Calleary |
| Incumbentsince | 23 January 2025 |
| Department | Department of Social Protection |
| Status | Cabinet minister |
| Member of | |
| Reports to | Taoiseach |
| Seat | Dublin, Ireland |
| Nominator | Taoiseach |
| Appointer | President of Ireland |
| Appointer qualified | (on the advice of the Taoiseach) |
| Formation | 22 January 1947 |
| Inaugural | James Ryan as Minister for Social Welfare |
| Salary | €210,750 (2025) (including €115,953 TD salary)[1] |
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.
The Minister for Social Protection since January 2025 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 | 4th | ||
| William Norton | 18 February 1948 | 14 June 1951 | 5th | ||
| James Ryan (2nd time)[a] | 14 June 1951 | 2 June 1954 | 6th | ||
| Brendan Corish (1st time) | 2 June 1954 | 20 March 1957 | 7th | ||
| Paddy Smith | 20 March 1957 | 27 November 1957 | 8th | ||
| Seán MacEntee[a] | 27 November 1957 | 12 October 1961 | 8th • 9th | ||
| Kevin Boland (1st time) | 12 October 1961 | 16 November 1966 | 10th • 11th | ||
| Joseph Brennan (1st time) | 16 November 1966 | 2 July 1969 | 12th | ||
| Kevin Boland (2nd time) | 2 July 1969 | 6 May 1970 | 13th | ||
| Joseph Brennan (2nd time) | 6 May 1970 | 14 March 1973 | 13th | ||
| Brendan Corish (2nd time)[a] | 14 March 1973 | 5 July 1977 | 14th | ||
| Charles Haughey[a] | 5 July 1977 | 12 December 1979 | 15th | ||
| Michael Woods (1st time)[a] | 12 December 1979 | 30 June 1981 | 16th | ||
| Eileen Desmond[a] | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | 17th | ||
| Michael Woods (2nd time)[a] | 9 March 1982 | 14 December 1982 | 18th | ||
| Barry Desmond[a] | 14 December 1982 | 14 February 1986 | 19th | ||
| Gemma Hussey | 14 February 1986 | 10 March 1987 | 19th | ||
| Michael Woods (3rd time) | 10 March 1987 | 13 November 1991 | 20th • 21st | ||
| Brendan Daly | 13 November 1991 | 11 February 1992 | 21st | ||
| Charlie McCreevy | 11 February 1992 | 12 January 1993 | 22nd | ||
| Michael Woods (4th time)[b] | 12 January 1993 | 15 December 1994 | 23rd | ||
| Proinsias De Rossa | 15 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | 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 | 25th | ||
Minister for Social and Family Affairs 2002–2010 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Mary Coughlan | 6 June 2002 | 29 September 2004 | 26th | ||
| Séamus Brennan | 29 September 2004 | 14 June 2007 | 26th | ||
| Martin Cullen | 14 June 2007 | 7 May 2008 | 27th | ||
| Mary Hanafin | 7 May 2008 | 23 March 2010 | 28th | ||
Minister for Social Protection 2010–2017 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Éamon Ó Cuív[c] | 23 March 2010 | 9 March 2011 | 28th | ||
| Joan Burton | 9 March 2011 | 6 May 2016 | 29th | ||
| Leo Varadkar | 6 May 2016 | 14 June 2017 | 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 | 31st | ||
Minister for Social Protection 2020–present | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Heather Humphreys[d] | 27 June 2020 | 23 January 2025 | 32nd • 33rd • 34th | ||
| Dara Calleary[e] | 23 January 2025 | Incumbent | 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.
- ^ Also Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.
References
- ^ "Salaries". Houses of the Oireachtas. 3 March 2025.
- ^ "3". "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1946". 24 December 1946. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1946 (Section 3) (Commencement) Order 1947" (sro). 21 January 1947. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
- ^ "Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020" (si). 20 October 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2021.