SETU has awarded honorary doctorates to former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and distinguished sociologist Professor Pat O’Connor in recognition of their exceptional contributions to society.
Notwithstanding, their different careers, both have challenged established thinking and helped shape a better future through research, education, policy and public service, inspiring others to create positive change.
This marks the fourth consecutive year that the University has honoured individuals whose work has made a lasting impact in their respective fields, professions or areas of advocacy.
SETU President, Professor Veronica Campbell, said the awards recognise the recipients’ leadership, service and commitment to social progress.
“We are delighted to award honorary doctorates to Professor Pat O’Connor and Mr Leo Varadkar. Professor O’Connor, a distinguished sociologist and academic, has made an exceptional contribution to Irish and international academia, while Mr Varadkar is recognised for his longstanding commitment to public service, social justice and international cooperation.
“Notwithstanding, their different careers, both have challenged established thinking and helped shape a better future through research, education, policy and public service, inspiring others to create positive change.”
Connection
Accepting his first honorary doctorate award this (Thursday) afternoon at SETU Arena in Waterford, Mr Varadkar said, “I am truly honoured to be awarded an honorary doctorate by the University. It is the first I have received, and it is particularly special to receive it from SETU, given my personal connection to the region and my belief in the importance of higher education in creating opportunities for people and communities.”
A graduate of Trinity College Dublin, Mr Varadkar worked as a hospital doctor and general practitioner before entering politics. First elected to Dáil Éireann in 2007, he went on to serve as a minister for 13 years across six government departments. In 2017, he became the youngest Taoiseach in Irish history.
Mr Varadkar spent more than a decade in senior government roles, where his leadership and advocacy helped shape Ireland’s evolving social and international identity.
During his time in office, Ireland navigated Brexit while protecting the Good Friday Agreement, avoiding a hard border and maintaining its position in the EU. The Government also advanced important social reforms, including the repeal of the Eighth Amendment, climate legislation, minimum wage increases, among others.
Mr Varadkar also prioritised infrastructure investment and regional development, including the National Broadband Plan and the establishment of technological universities across Ireland.
Significance
SETU held a particular significance for him, he said, “SETU has a special place in my heart as the legislation providing for its establishment was passed during my first term as Taoiseach and it was formally established when I was Tánaiste. I think I first heard the idea being discussed at my aunt's kitchen table in County Waterford when I was in school. It's been a long time coming.
“I am absolutely certain that, in the fullness of time, it will be seen as a gamechanger for the region attracting inward investment, spinning off new businesses, bringing more international students to the region and allowing more people from the region to access higher education close to home.”
Since retiring from frontline politics in 2024, Mr Varadkar has continued to share his insights on public leadership with the next generation of global leaders.
Influence
Professor Pat O’Connor has been awarded a Doctor of the University by SETU in recognition of her exceptional scholarly achievements and transformative influence on gender equality in higher education and wider society.
Over more than four decades, Professor O’Connor, who is Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Limerick, has established a distinguished record in Irish and international academia.
She was the first woman appointed to a full professorship in sociology in Ireland and the first woman at the University of Limerick to hold both full professorial rank and a faculty deanship, serving as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
With approximately 120 publications, Professor O’Connor has made a significant contribution to the sociology of gender and higher education. Her research examines the organisational structures and cultures that perpetuate gender inequality. Her most recent book, A ‘proper’ woman? One woman’s story of success and failure in academia, is an academic memoir reflecting on her professional experiences.
Her work has also informed policy at national and international level. She contributed to Ireland’s first National Review of Gender Equality in Higher Education, a landmark report that continues to underpin policy and reform. She has also supported European initiatives addressing gender inequality, including FESTA, TARGET, CHANGE and NORDICORE.
Honour
Professor O’Connor has a longstanding connection with SETU, having worked there from 1982 until the end of 1991 as Course Director of the National Diploma in Child Care, an area she believes remains undervalued by Irish society.
Reflecting on the honour, Professor O’Connor said: “I am delighted to receive an Honorary Doctorate from SETU. Working at SETU was very satisfying and did much to shape my understanding of the higher education landscape in Ireland. In truth, I would never have left the University if I had not had a lightbulb moment when I saw that, regardless of women’s educational level, research publications or strategic ideas, they were, at that time, less likely than men who lacked these to be ‘backed’ by those in power.
“That experience shaped my career. I am grateful to all of those who have supported me and to SETU for this honour,” Professor O’Connor added.