Irish Minister for Social Welfare
The Minister for Social & Family Affairs is the chief person at the Department of Social & Family Affairs in the Irish Government. The Department formulates appropriate social protection policies and administers and manages the delivery of statutory and non-statutory schemes and services. The Department is 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. Payments are made to nearly 950,000 people each week with over 1.5 million people directly benefiting from those payments. The budget spend in 2002 was €9.52 billion. The new title of Minister for Social & Family Affairs was created on June 6, 2002.
Minister for Social Welfare 1947-1997
| #
| Name
| Took Office
| Left Office
| Party
|
| 1. | James Ryan (1st time) | January 22, 1947 | February 18, 1948 | Fianna Fáil
|
| 2. | William Norton | February 18, 1948 | June 13, 1951 | Labour
|
| James Ryan (2nd time) | June 13, 1951 | June 2, 1954 | Fianna Fáil
|
| 3. | Brendan Corish (1st time) | June 2, 1954 | March 20, 1957 | Labour
|
| 4. | Patrick Smith | March 20, 1957 | November 27, 1957 | Fianna Fáil
|
| 5. | Seán MacEntee | November 27, 1957 | October 11, [[1961] | Fianna Fáil
|
| 6. | Kevin Boland (1st Time) | October 11, 1961 | November 10, 1966 | Fianna Fáil
|
| 7. | Joseph Brennan (1st time) | November 10, 1966 | July 2, 1969 | Fianna Fáil
|
| Kevin Boland (2nd time) | July 2, 1969 | May 7, 1970 | Fianna Fáil
|
| 8. | Joseph Brennan (1st time) | May 9, 1970 | March 14, 1973 | Fianna Fáil
|
| Brendan Corish (2nd time) | March 14, 1973 | July 5, 1977 | Labour
|
| 9. | Charles Haughey | July 5, 1977 | December 11, 1979 | Fianna Fáil
|
| 10. | Michael Woods (1st time) | December 12, 1979 | June 30, 1981 | Fianna Fáil
|
| 11. | Eileen Desmond | June 30, 1981 | March 9, 1982 | Fine Gael
|
| Michael Woods (2nd time) | March 9, 1982 | December 14, 1982 | Fianna Fáil
|
| 12. | Barry Desmond | December 14, 1982 | February 14, 1986 | Labour
|
| 13. | Gemma Hussey | February 14, 1986 | March 10, 1987 | Fine Gael
|
| Michael Woods (3rd time) | March 10, 1987 | November 14, 1991 | Fianna Fáil
|
| 13. | Brendan Daly | November 14, 1991 | February 11, 1992 | Fianna Fáil
|
| 14. | Charlie McCreevy | February 11, 1992 | January 12, 1993 | Fianna Fáil
|
| Michael Woods (4th time) | January 12, 1993 | December 15, 1994 | Fianna Fáil
|
| 15. | Proinsias De Rossa | December 15, 1994 | June 26, 1997 | Democratic Left
|
| 16. | Dermot Ahern | June 26, 1997 | July 12, 1997 | Fianna Fáil
|
Minister for Social, Community & Family Affairs 1997-2002
Minister for Social & Family Affairs 2002-present
See also
