An Tánaiste conferred with prestigious James Joyce Award and Honorary Fellowship of the Literary and Historical Society of UCD

An Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald TD, has been conferred with the prestigious James Joyce Award and Honorary Fellowship of the Literary and Historical Society (L&H) of University College Dublin.

The James Joyce Award is bestowed upon those who have excelled in a field of human endeavour and have made a profound impact on the world around them. The Award itself is the highest honour any student society in Ireland can bestow upon an individual.

Speaking upon receipt of the Award in UCD yesterday evening (Thursday), An Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald said: “It is an honour and privilege for me to be here this evening and to be presented with the James Joyce Award and Honorary Fellowship of the Literary and Historical Society.

“I’m very pleased to see that the L&H Society’s Committee has more female than male members for the first time in its history. For too long, debating and politics have been dominated by men.”

Sharing her own personal motive for entering politics with the students of the L&H, An Tánaiste said: “The anger over disadvantage and the belief in equality of opportunity drove me into politics.

“Those same things guide everything I do in politics to this day. Events like tonight shine a light on stories such as my own and are so important. Promoting the visibility of female leaders engenders more female leaders. If you can see it, you can be it.”