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.

Minister for Social Protection
Incumbent Dara Calleary since 23 January 2025
Department of Social Protection
Type	Social security minister
Status	Cabinet minister
Member of	Government of Ireland Council of the European Union Dáil Éireann
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)[1] (including €115,953 TD salary)[2]
Website	Official website

The current Minister for Social Protection is Dara Calleary. He is also Minister for Rural and Community Development.

Overview

The position was created in 1947 as the Minister for Social Welfare.^[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
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[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
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
Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
Heather Humphreys[d]	21 October 2020	23 January 2025		Fine Gael	32nd • 33rd • 34th
Dara Calleary	23 January 2025	Incumbent		Fianna Fáil	35th

Notes

1. 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. Also Minister for Rural and Community Development and (from 27 April 2021) Minister for Justice.