Minister for Social Protection

The Minister for Social Protection (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:
 * Joe O'Brien, TD – Minister of State for Community Development and Charities
 * Emer Higgins, TD – Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail

Overview
The position was created in 1947 as the Minister for Social Welfare. Its present title dates from 2020. 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"|
 * colspan="6"|

Minister for Social Welfare 1947–1997
!Name !colspan="2"|Term of office !colspan="2"|Party !Government(s) (1st time) (2nd time) (1st time) (1st time) (1st time) (2nd time) (2nd time) (2nd time) (1st time) (2nd time) (3rd time) (4th time)
 * James Ryan
 * James Ryan
 * 22 January 1947
 * 18 February 1948
 * 4th
 * William Norton
 * 18 February 1948
 * 14 June 1951
 * 5th
 * James Ryan
 * 5th
 * James Ryan
 * James Ryan
 * James Ryan
 * 14 June 1951
 * 2 June 1954
 * 6th
 * Brendan Corish
 * Brendan Corish
 * Brendan Corish
 * 2 June 1954
 * 20 March 1957
 * 7th
 * Paddy Smith
 * 20 March 1957
 * 27 November 1957
 * 8th
 * Seán MacEntee
 * 27 November 1957
 * 12 October 1961
 * 8th • 9th
 * Kevin Boland
 * 27 November 1957
 * 12 October 1961
 * 8th • 9th
 * Kevin Boland
 * Kevin Boland
 * Kevin Boland
 * 12 October 1961
 * 16 November 1966
 * 10th • 11th
 * Joseph Brennan
 * Joseph Brennan
 * Joseph Brennan
 * 16 November 1966
 * 2 July 1969
 * 12th
 * Kevin Boland
 * Kevin Boland
 * Kevin Boland
 * 2 July 1969
 * 6 May 1970
 * 13th
 * Joseph Brennan
 * Joseph Brennan
 * Joseph Brennan
 * 6 May 1970
 * 14 March 1973
 * 13th
 * Brendan Corish
 * Brendan Corish
 * Brendan Corish
 * 14 March 1973
 * 5 July 1977
 * 14th
 * Charles Haughey
 * 5 July 1977
 * 12 December 1979
 * 15th
 * Michael Woods
 * 15th
 * Michael Woods
 * Michael Woods
 * Michael Woods
 * 12 December 1979
 * 30 June 1981
 * 16th
 * Eileen Desmond
 * 30 June 1981
 * 9 March 1982
 * 17th
 * Michael Woods
 * 17th
 * Michael Woods
 * Michael Woods
 * Michael Woods
 * 9 March 1982
 * 14 December 1982
 * 18th
 * Barry Desmond
 * 14 December 1982
 * 14 February 1986
 * 19th
 * Gemma Hussey
 * 14 February 1986
 * 10 March 1987
 * 19th
 * Michael Woods
 * 14 February 1986
 * 10 March 1987
 * 19th
 * Michael Woods
 * Michael Woods
 * Michael Woods
 * 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
 * 11 February 1992
 * 12 January 1993
 * 22nd
 * Michael Woods
 * Michael Woods
 * Michael Woods
 * 12 January 1993
 * 15 December 1994
 * 23rd
 * Proinsias De Rossa
 * 15 December 1994
 * 26 June 1997
 * 24th
 * Dermot Ahern
 * 26 June 1997
 * 12 July 1997
 * 25th
 * colspan="6"|
 * 26 June 1997
 * 12 July 1997
 * 25th
 * colspan="6"|
 * colspan="6"|
 * colspan="6"|

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs 1997–2002
!Name !colspan="2"|Term of office !colspan="2"|Party !Government(s)
 * Dermot Ahern
 * 12 July 1997
 * 6 June 2002
 * 25th
 * Mary Coughlan
 * 6 June 2002
 * 19 June 2002
 * 26th
 * colspan="6"|
 * 19 June 2002
 * 26th
 * colspan="6"|
 * colspan="6"|
 * colspan="6"|

Minister for Social and Family Affairs 2002–2010
!Name !colspan="2"|Term of office !colspan="2"|Party !Government(s)
 * Mary Coughlan
 * 19 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
 * Éamon Ó Cuív
 * 23 March 2010
 * 2 May 2010
 * 28th
 * colspan="6"|
 * 23 March 2010
 * 28th
 * Éamon Ó Cuív
 * 23 March 2010
 * 2 May 2010
 * 28th
 * colspan="6"|
 * 28th
 * colspan="6"|
 * colspan="6"|
 * colspan="6"|

Minister for Social Protection 2010–2017
!Name !colspan="2"|Term of office !colspan="2"|Party !Government(s)
 * Éamon Ó Cuív
 * 2 May 2010
 * 9 March 2011
 * 28th
 * Joan Burton
 * 9 March 2011
 * 6 May 2016
 * 29th
 * Leo Varadkar
 * 6 May 2016
 * 14 June 2017
 * 30th
 * Regina Doherty
 * 14 June 2017
 * 2 September 2017
 * 31st
 * colspan="6"|
 * 30th
 * Regina Doherty
 * 14 June 2017
 * 2 September 2017
 * 31st
 * colspan="6"|
 * 31st
 * colspan="6"|
 * colspan="6"|

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection 2017–2020
!Name !colspan="2"|Term of office !colspan="2"|Party !Government(s)
 * Regina Doherty
 * 2 September 2017
 * 27 June 2020
 * 31st
 * Heather Humphreys
 * 27 June 2020
 * 21 October 2020
 * 32nd
 * colspan="6"|
 * 21 October 2020
 * 32nd
 * colspan="6"|
 * colspan="6"|
 * colspan="6"|

Minister for Social Protection 2020–present
!Name !colspan="2"|Term of office !colspan="2"|Party !Government(s)
 * Heather Humphreys
 * 21 October 2020
 * Incumbent
 * 32nd • 33rd • 34th
 * }
 * Notes
 * }
 * Notes