Uachtarán na hÉireann, President Michael D. Higgins, was awarded with the inaugural Centre for Justice and Law Reform Medal of Excellence by the Law Society of Ireland at a ceremony in Áras an Uachtaráin.
The medal was presented to President Higgins by the President of the Law Society, Eamon Harrington.
The award seeks to honour and recognise people who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, commitment and achievement in areas such as the protection of fundamental rights, access to justice, the functioning of democracy, and the strengthening of the rule of law.
Delivering the citation for the Award, Eamonn Harrington said:
“Your presidency has been marked by a steadfast determination to give voice to the weakest and most vulnerable, not only in Ireland but across the globe. In a world facing profound upheaval, your principled stance on national and international issues, including the protection of fundamental rights and the rule of law, has offered a moral compass in uncertain times that has been both inspiring and deeply reassuring.
The Law Society’s Centre for Justice and Law Reform awards this Medal of Excellence to you in recognition of your exceptional contribution to the causes central to our mission: advancing justice, promoting thoughtful and evidence-based legal reform, and cultivating a society grounded in fairness, inclusion, and equality. Your example has inspired lawyers, policymakers, activists, and citizens to pursue transformative change through law, public policy, and political activism.
This Medal, specially commissioned by the Centre, symbolises our appreciation and gratitude for your intellectual rigour, your courage in confronting difficult truths, and your lifelong insistence that law must be animated by compassion and respect for human dignity. Your service has enriched Irish life and contributed to global conversations about justice and human rights.”
Accepting the Medal, President Higgins said:
“May I thank Eamon Harrington, President of the Law Society, for your kind introduction, and may I say what an honour it is to be bestowed with the Medal of Excellence from the Centre for Justice and Law Reform.
The Centre, a research initiative by the Law Society of Ireland, which aims to improve the justice system through evidence-based research and advocacy, is such an important and worthwhile initiative, helping to shape law reform and bring about improvements in the justice system through fostering debate among the legal community and beyond, and advocating for positive changes to improve the public’s experience of the Irish justice system.
The rights-based approach that the Centre for Justice and Law Reform advocates echoes that which I too have advocated throughout my Presidency, one that highlights how human rights are based on the recognition of the inherent dignity of every person and require active protection and promotion within a society that aims for inclusivity, equity, one where rights are recognised and honoured.”
The Centre for Justice and Law Reform is a new research centre established by the Law Society to influence positive and progressive change in Ireland. Its purpose is to develop thought leadership on matters which have justice and law reform at their heart. The mission of the Centre is to seek to influence the development of the justice system and shape law reform in the public interest by conducting and publishing evidence-based research; engaging with policy makers; and advocating for the implementation of legal and policy reforms.
