Mary McAleese, Ireland's President, has a longstanding interest in many issues concerned with justice, equality, social inclusion, anti-sectarianism and reconciliation. She was a member of the Catholic Church Episcopal Delegation to the New Ireland Forum in 1984, and she was a founder member of the Irish Commission for the Prisoners Overseas. On 11 November 1997 she became the first President to come from Northern Ireland and has enjoyed a remarkably high approval rating in opinion polls.