# Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

The Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Social Protection of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Minister for Social Protection. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.

## List of parliamentary secretaries

Department of Social Welfare 1951–1977 :
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Government |
| Michael Kennedy | 19 June 1951 | 2 June 1954 | Fianna Fáil | 6th |
| Michael Kennedy | 21 March 1957 | 11 November 1961 | Fianna Fáil | 8th • 9th |
| Johnny Geoghegan | 9 July 1969 | 14 March 1973 | Fianna Fáil | 13th |
| Frank Cluskey | 14 March 1973 | 5 July 1977 | Labour | 14th |

## List of ministers of state

Department of Social Welfare 1980–1997 :
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Responsibilities | Government |
| Tom Nolan | 25 March 1980 | 17 December 1980 | | Fianna Fáil | | 16th |
| Thomas Hussey | 17 December 1980 | 30 June 1981 | | Fianna Fáil | | 16th |
| Mary Flaherty | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | | Fine Gael | Poverty and the Family | 17th |
| Denis Gallagher | 23 March 1982 | 27 October 1982 | | Fianna Fáil | Social Welfare Claims | 18th |
| Rory O'Hanlon | 28 October 1982 | 14 December 1982 | | Fianna Fáil | Social Welfare Claims | 18th |
| Fergus O'Brien | 16 December 1982 | 15 December 1983 | | Fine Gael | Social Welfare Information | 19th |
| John Donnellan | 15 December 1983 | 10 March 1987 | | Fine Gael | Social Welfare Information | 19th |
| Séamus Pattison | 15 December 1983 | 20 January 1987 | | Labour | Social Welfare Administration | 19th |
| Joan Burton | 14 January 1993 | 15 December 1994 | | Labour | EC Poverty Plans and Tax and Social Welfare Codes | 23rd |
| Bernard Durkan | 20 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | | Fine Gael | | 24th |
| Department of Social and Family Affairs 2007–2010 |||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Responsibilities | Government |
| Máire Hoctor | 9 July 2007 | 7 May 2008 | | Fianna Fáil | Older People | 27th |
| Máire Hoctor | 13 May 2008 | 22 April 2009 | | Fianna Fáil | Older People | 28th |
| Áine Brady | 22 April 2009 | 9 March 2011 | | Fianna Fáil | Older People and Health Promotion | 28th |
| Department of Social Protection 2010–2017 |||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Responsibilities | Government |
| Kevin Humphreys | 15 July 2014 | 6 May 2016 | | Labour | Employment, Community and Social Support | 29th |
| Finian McGrath | 6 May 2016 | 14 June 2017 | | Independent | Disability Issues | 30th |
| Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection 2017–2020 |||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Responsibilities | Government |
| Finian McGrath | 20 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | | Independent | Disability Issues | 31st |
| Pat Breen | 20 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | | Fine Gael | Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection | 31st |
| Department of Social Protection 2020–present |||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Responsibilities | Government |
| Damien English | 19 July 2020 | 12 January 2023 | | Fine Gael | Employment Affairs and Retail Business | 32nd • 33rd |
| Neale Richmond | 13 January 2023 | 10 April 2024 | | Fine Gael | Employment Affairs and Retail Business | 32nd • 33rd |
| Joe O'Brien | 19 July 2020 | 23 January 2025 | | Green | Community Development and Charities | 32nd • 33rd • 34th |
| Emer Higgins | 10 April 2024 | 23 January 2025 | | Fine Gael | Business, Employment and Retail | 34th |