Minister for Social Protection explained

Post:Minister for Social Protection
Insignia:Irish Department of Social Protection.png
Insigniasize:230px
Incumbent:Heather Humphreys
Incumbentsince:27 June 2020
Department:Department of Social Protection
Reports To:Taoiseach
Seat:Dublin, Ireland
Formation:22 January 1947

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. She is assisted by two Ministers of State:

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

NameTerm of officePartyGovernment(s)
James Ryan
(1st time)
22 January 194718 February 19484th
William Norton18 February 194814 June 19515th
James Ryan
(2nd time)
14 June 19512 June 19546th
Brendan Corish
(1st time)
2 June 195420 March 19577th
Paddy Smith20 March 195727 November 19578th
Seán MacEntee27 November 195712 October 19618th9th
Kevin Boland
(1st time)
12 October 196116 November 196610th11th
Joseph Brennan
(1st time)
16 November 19662 July 196912th
Kevin Boland
(2nd time)
2 July 19696 May 197013th
Joseph Brennan
(2nd time)
6 May 197014 March 197313th
Brendan Corish
(2nd time)
14 March 19735 July 197714th
Charles Haughey5 July 197712 December 197915th
Michael Woods
(1st time)
12 December 197930 June 198116th
Eileen Desmond30 June 19819 March 198217th
Michael Woods
(2nd time)
9 March 198214 December 198218th
Barry Desmond14 December 198214 February 198619th
Gemma Hussey14 February 198610 March 198719th
Michael Woods
(3rd time)
10 March 198713 November 199120th21st
Brendan Daly13 November 199111 February 199221st
Charlie McCreevy11 February 199212 January 199322nd
Michael Woods
(4th time)
12 January 199315 December 199423rd
Proinsias De Rossa15 December 199426 June 199724th
Dermot Ahern26 June 199712 July 199725th

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs 1997–2002

NameTerm of officePartyGovernment(s)
Dermot Ahern12 July 19976 June 200225th
Mary Coughlan6 June 200219 June 200226th

Minister for Social and Family Affairs 2002–2010

NameTerm of officePartyGovernment(s)
Mary Coughlan19 June 200229 September 200426th
Séamus Brennan29 September 200414 June 200726th
Martin Cullen14 June 20077 May 200827th
Mary Hanafin7 May 200823 March 201028th
Éamon Ó Cuív23 March 20102 May 201028th

Minister for Social Protection 2010–2017

NameTerm of officePartyGovernment(s)
Éamon Ó Cuív2 May 20109 March 201128th
Joan Burton9 March 20116 May 201629th
Leo Varadkar6 May 201614 June 201730th
Regina Doherty14 June 20172 September 201731st

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection 2017–2020

NameTerm of officePartyGovernment(s)
Regina Doherty2 September 201727 June 202031st
Heather Humphreys27 June 202021 October 202032nd

Minister for Social Protection 2020–present

NameTerm of officePartyGovernment(s)
Heather Humphreys21 October 2020Incumbent32nd33rd34th
Notes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: List of Ministers and Ministers of State. Government of Ireland. 2 July 2020. 7 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200807154553/https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/9b5048-government-ministers/. live.
  2. Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1946. 1946. 38. 3. The Department of Social Welfare. 24 December 1946. 30 April 2021.
  3. Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020. 2020. si. 447. 20 October 2020. 30 April 2021.