President Higgins pays tribute to the late Vicky Phelan

President Michael D Higgins has paid tribute to the late Vicky Phelan, saying she will be deeply missed, and that she had made an enormous contribution to Irish society.

Ms Phelan, 48, who died in the early hours of this morning, Monday November 14, became the voice of the women affected by the failures in the cervical smear testing system.

President Higgins said that it was with the deepest sense of sadness that people across Ireland and beyond will have heard of the death of Ms Phelan.

"All of us who had the privilege of meeting Vicky will have been struck by the powerful inner strength and dignity with which she not only faced her own illness, but with the sense of commitment to the public good and the rights of others with which she campaigned," he stated.

Mr Higgins said that thanks to Ms Phelan's tireless efforts and the terrible personal toll she herself had to carry, so many women’s lives have been protected, and will be protected in the future.

"She will be deeply missed, by all of those who were in awe of her courage, her resilience, offered not only to women but to all of us in Ireland," he said.

Mr Higgins remarked that Ms Phelan would of course be missed above all by those closest to her. He extended his deepest condolences to Vicky’s parents Gaby and John, her husband Jim, her children Amelia and Darragh, and to all of her family and friends.