President praises social justice pioneers Fr Healy and Sr Reynolds

Ireland is “greatly indebted” to the work of Fr Sean Healy and Sr Brigid Reynolds, founders of Social Justice Ireland, President Michael D. Higgins has said.

Speaking on the retirement of the social justice pioneers, the President of Ireland said they leave behind “a rich legacy”.

“There can be no doubt that the advocacy work undertaken by Dr Healy and Sr Reynolds has assisted in the achieving of a more inclusive, sustainable society here in Ireland,” President Higgins said at a SJI conference in Dublin, January 31.

“The work of Sean Healy and Brigid Reynolds on poverty, and specifically on the metrics of poverty, on promoting a shared understanding and recognition of the importance of including measurements of poverty and poverty targets in social partnership agreements – such work has been so very valuable in providing an evidence basis for social policy alternatives. Your leadership on this area is such an important legacy,” he added.