She was the founding director of the Women's Education, Resource and Research Centre (WERRC), University College Dublin (UCD).

This was a space where women came together to discuss issues which were affecting them including: work, sex, relationships, childcare, discrimination and violence.

This was a discussion group with a strong cultural ethos and they invited women writers, poets, and artists to come and talk about interesting projects that they were involved with at the time.

[11] In 2019, Smyth was named as one of the Time 100 most influential people alongside the other co-directors of Together for Yes, Grainne Griffin and Orla O'Connor, in recognition of their roles within the campaign to legalise abortion in Ireland.

[4] Smyth is chair of Ballyfermot STAR Addiction Services and of Women's Aid, and a member of the board of Age Action.