Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection 3.04

The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is a department of the Government of Ireland, tasked with administering Ireland's welfare system. It oversees the provision of income support and other social services. It is led by the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection who is assisted by two Ministers of State.Departmental teamThe official headquarters and ministerial offices of the department are in Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, Store Street, Dublin. The departmental team consists of the following: Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Regina Doherty, TDMinister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection: Pat Breen, TDMinister of State for Disability Issues: Finian McGrath, TDOverviewIn carrying out its mandate the department undertakes a variety of functions including:The department formulates appropriate social protection policies and administers and manages the delivery of statutory and non-statutory schemes and services. It 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.In 2010 it will be in excess of 13.59 billion