The recommendations for membership of the new eight-member Human Rights Commission are expected to go to Government today.
The Irish Times has learned that the selection committee, asked by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr O'Donoghue, to draw up a shortlist from the 177 applicants, is putting forward 16 names. Eight of these, four men and four women, received unanimous priority recommendation.
The four men are: Mr Martin Collins, an activist with the Traveller movement; Mr Michael Farrell, solicitor and former co-chairman of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties; Mr Cearbhall O'Meara, a consultant; and Mr Gerard Quinn, a lecturer in law in UCD.
The four women unanimously chosen are: Ms Ursula Barry, a lecturer in economics in UCD; Ms Clodagh Mac Rory, a Northern Ireland lawyer; Ms Nuala Kelly of the Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas; and Ms Fionnuala Ni Aolain, who lectures in law in NUI Galway.
Under the legislation the Government is not obliged to appoint the eight given priority recommendation, or indeed eight from the 16 on the shortlist drawn up by the selection committee.
However, it is thought unlikely it will move very far from the list, as this would cause dissatisfaction in the selection committee.
The selection committee was chaired by Dr T.K. Whitaker and includes: Ms Inez McCormack, president of the ICTU; Mr Frank Murray, of the Civil Service Appointments Commission; Ms Mary Murphy, of the Society of St Vincent de Paul; and Mr Martin O'Brien, of the Belfast-based Campaign for the Administration of Justice.
The appointment of the eight commissioners will allow for the formal setting up of the commission, under the presidency of Mr Justice Barrington.
The Human Rights Commission was set up under the Belfast Agreement to promote human rights in the State and monitor human rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.