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The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (‘the Commission’) has today welcomed the Government’s recommendation of six new Commission Members to be proposed for appointment to serve on the Commission. The six new Commission Members proposed are:
  • Andrew Forde, Head of Rural Regeneration at Department of Rural & Community Development / PhD Int. Human Rights Law
  • Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC FRSA, International Human Rights Lawyer and Barrister
  • Colin Harvey, Professor of Human Rights Law at Queen’s University Belfast and Director of the Human Rights Centre
  • Eoin Ronayne, Chairperson of Waterford area Partnership Company and Special Projects Adviser in Fórsa
  • Noeline Blackwell, Solicitor and CEO of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre
  • Dr Salome Mbugua, gender equality activist and founder of AkiDwA and Wezesha (reappointment)
The announcement comes after an independent competition held by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). As set out under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, once the PAS selection process is completed, Commission Members must be approved through resolutions of both Houses of the Oireachtas and are then formally appointed by President Michael D. Higgins. This process is in line with international standards for National Human Rights Institutions (the UN Paris Principles). The proposed appointments will return the Commission to its full complement of fifteen members. Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Chief Commissioner Sinéad Gibney welcomed today’s announcement:
“I’m delighted to welcome our new Commission Members whose experience and expertise will bring new perspective to our work on Ireland’s most pressing human rights and equality matters. I’d also like to acknowledge the work and commitment of our recently departed Commission members. Their dedication and expertise has helped to make Ireland a more just and inclusive society.”
ENDS/ For further information, please contact: Karen Joynt, IHREC 01 8589605 / 085 174 6883 Karen.joynt@ihrec.ie Visit our website www.ihrec.ie or follow us on twitter and Instagram @_IHREC

Note for Editors 

The UN Paris Principles constitute a set of internationally recognised standards to assess the independence and effectiveness of national human rights institutions. Included in these standards, is an inclusive and transparent selection and appointment process. The ECRI General Policy Recommendation No. 2 states that persons holding leadership positions in equality bodies should be selected and appointed by transparent, competency-based and participatory procedures. Biographical notes on all Six Proposed Commissioners
  • Andrew Forde is a senior civil servant with extensive national and international human rights experience. Dr. Forde is currently head of Rural Regeneration at the Department of Rural and Community Development and holds both LLM and PhD degrees in international human rights law, with specific expertise centering on the European Convention on Human Rights. Dr. Forde is also a Visiting Fellow at the Irish Centre for Human Rights and writes extensively on matters related to human rights in Europe.
  • Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC FRSA is an international human rights lawyer and barrister, specialising in human rights law, public law, inquests, community care, prison law and media law. Since 2005, Caoilfhionn has acted in many landmark human rights cases before the European Court of Human Rights, United Nations bodies and other international tribunals, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and courts in the UK and a number of other jurisdictions. Caoilfhionn is the current Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, appointed to this role by the Irish Government in January 2023.
  • Colin Harvey is a Professor of Human Rights Law at Queen’s University Belfast and Director of the Human Rights Centre. Professor Harvey has served as a Commissioner on the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, has taught human rights law for almost 30 years and has written and engaged extensively on human rights law locally and globally.
  • Eoin Ronayne is the current Chairperson of Waterford area Partnership Company and Special Projects Adviser in Fórsa. Eoin has an extensive background as a senior trade union official and was engaged by Fórsa on a range of operational projects and policy delivery for the Irish Congress of Trades Union (ICTU). Eoin has been a member of the ICTU Executive for many years and is also the Ireland Executive Committee member of the European Federation of Public Service Union (EPSU).
  • Noeline Blackwell is a solicitor, litigator advocate and manager with a wide experience of human rights standards, operations, practices and challenges. Noeline is the current CEO of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre since 2016. She was Director General (CEO) of FLAC between 2005 and 2016. Noeline’s previous board memberships include the International Federation of Human rights, Front Line Defenders, Immigrant Council of Ireland, and Amnesty International Ireland.
  • Dr Salome Mbugua has been a Commission member on the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission since 2018 and has extensive experience in leadership, senior management, strategic planning, personnel management, project development, implementation, organisational development, budget monitoring, and gender mainstreaming. Dr Mbugua is a founder of two equality based organizations, AkiDwA and Wezesha and is an advocate of human rights, gender equality, and diversity inclusion.

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is an independent public body, appointed by the President and directly accountable to the Oireachtas. The Commission has a statutory remit set out under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act (2014) to protect and promote human rights and equality in Ireland, and build a culture of respect for human rights, equality and intercultural understanding in the State. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is Ireland’s national human rights institution and is recognised as such by the United Nations. The Commission is also Ireland’s national equality body for the purpose of a range of EU anti-discrimination measures. In accordance with the 2014 Act, the Public Appointments Service recently undertook a selection process for appointment of members of the Commission. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, Article 12 sets out the Membership of Commission, while Article 13 sets out Appointment of members of Commission.