Media Library

President speaks about the Garden Parties (Extracts from a speech at a Community Day)

The final event in the 2017 series of Garden Parties was the 'Community Day' party.

Each year, President and Sabina Higgins open up Áras an Uachtaráin for a series of Garden Parties celebrating the work of people and organisations active on themes of citizenship and community - themes that are central to the Presidency of Michael D. Higgins. 

Over 400 people were invited to meet with the President and Sabina Higgins for the 'Community Day' event, celebrating voluntary groups and active citizens, from across the country, who are working to build a better, more inclusive Ireland.

Speech at a ‘Community Day’ Garden Party

Address at the official opening of the ICTU Biennial Conference 2017

On 4 July, President Higgins formally opened the biennial conference of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

In his speech, the President spoke of the rise of the 'precariat' and work insecurity, as well as the role of trade unions in combating rising populism.