The Wheel Honours Social Justice Ireland Co-Founders With Dr Mary Redmond Award
Social Justice Ireland co-founders Dr Seán Healy and Sr Brigid Reynolds have today (23 May 2023) been awarded the prestigious Dr Mary Redmond Honorary Award for their outstanding commitment to promoting social justice for nearly half a century. Dr Healy and Sr Brigid have been Director and Company Secretary of the independent social justice think-tank since its foundation in 2009. They will both retire later this year.
The Wheel’s board of directors presents the national award, which is named after Dr Mary Redmond, the late academic, lawyer and founder of The Wheel and the Irish Hospice Foundation, to individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to civil society in Ireland. Dr Healy and Sr Brigid were presented with the award at The Wheel’s annual Summit for charities, community groups and social enterprises at Croke Park.
Speaking at the event Vincent Keenan, CEO of The Wheel said, “Dr Healy and Sr Brigid have made an outstanding contribution to promoting social justice for nearly 50 years. Through their tireless advocacy, groundbreaking research and evidence-based social policy work, they have ensured that the voices of vulnerable or marginalised people have been heard in the public policy debate.”
Dr Healy has for over 40 years been involved in issues of socio-economic policy in Ireland. Previously he worked for more than 10 years on issues of justice and development in Africa. He has worked on many government task forces and has been a member of the Community and Voluntary Pillar since its inception in 1996. Dr Healy has been a member of the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) since 1997. He has done work with, among others, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee, the Council of Europe and the OECD as well as the UN on a wide range of policy issues. Together with Brigid Reynolds, Dr Healy has written or edited forty-three books on public policy as well as three books on spirituality for social engagement. Their work has been published in a wide range of other books and journals.
Sr. Brigid Reynolds spent most of the 1970s working on issues of education, justice and development in Africa with a special focus on women’s projects. Since 1982 she has been active in social, economic and public participation policy issues in Ireland. Brigid has been a member of the Community and Voluntary Pillar since its inception in 1996. She represented the Pillar in many arenas. For example, she was a member of the Review Group on the National Women’s Strategy that engaged with the government in preparing that Strategy and in subsequently monitoring its implementation. She was also a member of the National Economic and Social Forum and was instrumental in developing SJI’s post-graduate degree programme.
