Minister for Social Protection

{{Infobox official post

|post = Minister for Social Protection

|insignia = Irish Department of Social Protection.png

|insigniasize = 230px

|image = Dara Calleary, Dec 2024 (54186811634) (cropped).jpg

|imagesize =

|incumbent = Dara Calleary

|incumbentsince = 23 January 2025

|department = Department of Social Protection

|type = Social security minister

|status = Cabinet minister

|member_of = {{Ubl|Government of Ireland|Council of the European Union|Dáil Éireann}}

|reports_to = Taoiseach

|seat = Dublin, Ireland

|nominator = Taoiseach

|appointer = President of Ireland

|appointer_qualified = {{small|(on the advice of the Taoiseach)}}

|formation = 22 January 1947

|inaugural = James Ryan {{small|as Minister for Social Welfare}}

|salary = €210,750 {{small|(2025)}}
{{small|(including €115,953 TD salary)}}{{Cite web |title=Salaries |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/salaries-and-allowances/salaries/ |website=Houses of the Oireachtas |date=3 March 2025}}

|website = {{official website}}

}}

The Minister for Social Protection ({{langx|ga|An tAire Cosanta Sóisialta}}) is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Social Protection.

The Minister for Social Protection {{as of|since=y|lc=y|January 2025}} 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.{{cite ISB|title=Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1946|year=1946|num=38|section=3|stitle=The Department of Social Welfare|date=24 December 1946|access-date=30 April 2021}}{{Cite ISB|year=1947|type=sro|num=15|title=Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1946 (Section 3) (Commencement) Order 1947|date=21 January 1947|access-date=20 September 2019}} Its present title dates from 2020.{{cite ISB|title=Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020|year=2020|type=si|num=447|date=20 October 2020|access-date=30 April 2021}} 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

{| class="wikitable"

|colspan="6"|

=Minister for Social Welfare 1947–1997=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|James Ryan
(1st time){{efn|name=health|Also Minister for Health.}}

|22 January 1947

|18 February 1948

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|4th

|William Norton

|18 February 1948

|14 June 1951

| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}

|5th

|James Ryan
(2nd time){{efn|name=health}}

|14 June 1951

|2 June 1954

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|6th

|Brendan Corish
(1st time)

|2 June 1954

|20 March 1957

| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}

|7th

|Paddy Smith

|20 March 1957

|27 November 1957

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|8th

|Seán MacEntee{{efn|name=health}}

|27 November 1957

|12 October 1961

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|8th{{•}}9th

|Kevin Boland
(1st time)

|12 October 1961

|16 November 1966

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|10th{{•}}11th

|Joseph Brennan
(1st time)

|16 November 1966

|2 July 1969

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|12th

|Kevin Boland
(2nd time)

|2 July 1969

|6 May 1970

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|13th

|Joseph Brennan
(2nd time)

|6 May 1970

|14 March 1973

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|13th

|Brendan Corish
(2nd time){{efn|name=health}}

|14 March 1973

|5 July 1977

| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}

|14th

|Charles Haughey{{efn|name=health}}

|5 July 1977

|12 December 1979

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|15th

|Michael Woods
(1st time){{efn|name=health}}

|12 December 1979

|30 June 1981

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|16th

|Eileen Desmond{{efn|name=health}}

|30 June 1981

|9 March 1982

| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}

|17th

|Michael Woods
(2nd time){{efn|name=health}}

|9 March 1982

|14 December 1982

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|18th

|Barry Desmond{{efn|name=health}}

|14 December 1982

|14 February 1986

| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}

|19th

|Gemma Hussey

|14 February 1986

|10 March 1987

| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}

|19th

|Michael Woods
(3rd time)

|10 March 1987

|13 November 1991

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|20th{{•}}21st

|Brendan Daly

|13 November 1991

|11 February 1992

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|21st

|Charlie McCreevy

|11 February 1992

|12 January 1993

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|22nd

|Michael Woods
(4th time){{efn|name=healthw|Also Minister for Health from 17 November to 15 December 1994.}}

|12 January 1993

|15 December 1994

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|23rd

|Proinsias De Rossa

|15 December 1994

|26 June 1997

| {{party name with colour|Democratic Left (Ireland)}}

|24th

|colspan="6"|

=Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs 1997–2002=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Dermot Ahern

|26 June 1997

|6 June 2002

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|25th

|colspan="6"|

=Minister for Social and Family Affairs 2002–2010=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Mary Coughlan

|6 June 2002

|29 September 2004

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|26th

|Séamus Brennan

|29 September 2004

|14 June 2007

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|26th

|Martin Cullen

|14 June 2007

|7 May 2008

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|27th

|Mary Hanafin

|7 May 2008

|23 March 2010

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|28th

|colspan="6"|