Colin Gleeson

The independent panel charged with appointing the members of the new Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has failed to recruit a chief commissioner.

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter, confirmed this failure in a statment last night, in which he also indicated legislation to set up the new body is expected to be published before the end of the summer Dail term.

The likely makeup of the new body however became clearer when Mr Shatter announced the 14 names of the commission's members designate.

They include Professor of Law at UCC Siobhán Mullally; Mental Health Tribunal chairperson Teresa Blake; NUl Maynooth lecturers Mary Murphy and Orlagh O’Farrell; DCU lecturer Betty Purcell; Director of Exchange House National Travellers Service Heidi Foster Breslin, Barrister Sunniva McDonogh, Professor of Law Ray Murphy, Chartered Accountant Frank Conaty, Barrister David Joyce; Immigrant Council of Ireland Integration Manager Fidele Muwarasibo; Irish Council for Civil Liberties Director Mark Kelly, GLEN Chairperson Kieran Rose; and Liam Herrick of the Irish Penal Reform Trust.

The IHREC is the name of the organisation that is to replace the Irish Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority, which are to be merged. It is estimated the merger will save in the region of €500,000.

Mr Shatter said the purpose of the merger is to "promote human rights and equality issues in a more efficient, effective and coherent way".

Experts have insisted however that the role of chief commissioner is critical to making the merger work, and in re-establishing an effective equality and human rights presence in the State.

"The objective of this body will be to champion human rights, including the right to equality," said Mr Shatter. "Legislation to set up the new body is expected to be published before the end of the summer term.

"In the meantime, the members of the new Commission will take up their positions on the two existing bodies that are being merged. This will both fill the existing gap at board level in the two organisations and ensure they can begin operating as a cohesive whole."

A statement from the Department of Justice said it was "unfortunate" that the selection panel had been unable to recruit a chief commissioner.

"The terms on which this post was advertised included a requirement that the person to be appointed should not have served on either the Equality Authority or the Human Rights Commission.

"The requirement was considered essential to ensure that the new chief commissioner would bring balance and neutrality to the position in a sensitive merger context. The selection panel suggests also that the full-time nature of the position and the length of the contract (5 years) may have been issues that militated against a successful recruitment.

"As it has not proved possible for the present to recruit a chief commissioner for IHREC, the Minister will invite the group of 14 persons who have been selected to select one of their number for appointment to chair both the Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority pending recruitment of a Chief Commissioner,” it said.