The Commission is responsible for the strategic direction of the organisation. It decides what topics we focus on, what our policies are, and when we use certain powers.
Who is on the Commission?
The Commission currently has 15 Members, including the Chief Commissioner.
How is the Commission selected?
Commission Members are selected through an independent public appointments process.
They are then approved by the Oireachtas and appointed by the President.
By law, the Commission must be gender-balanced and made up of different types of people who have knowledge or experience of human rights and equality issues.
Members serve 5-year staggered terms. This is to make sure that there is always experienced Members in office. Commission Members can only serve 2 terms.
When does the Commission meet?
The Commission must hold at least one meeting every 3 months. Usually, it holds regular meetings every 6 weeks, and as many extraordinary meetings as necessary.
How does the Commission make decisions?
The Commission makes decisions, where possible, by consensus or agreement. If there are differences of opinion, a majority vote may be taken.