The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has expressed shock at a ruling by the Lord Chief Justice that it did not have the power to make submissions to courts.
The case arose from a decision by the coroner presiding over the inquiry into the Omagh bombing, Mr John Leckey, that the commission, established under the Belfast Agreement, did not have power to concern itself in the legal proceedings of the inquiry as an intervener.
The commission then applied for a judicial review of Mr Leckey's decision.
In his ruling, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Carswell, said the issue was whether the commission had the statutory power to make submissions to the courts if invited or permitted, as had been assumed by the British government and other interested parties.
He said that after studying Section 69 of the Northern Ireland Act, 1998, which outlined the commission's functions, he had come to the conclusion that such a power had not been conferred upon it.
The chief commissioner, Prof Brice Dickson, said he was extremely disappointed at the Lord Chief Justice's decision.
He said it "drove a coach and horses" through the commission's ability to promote human rights in the courts.
Meanwhile, Sinn Fein has criticised the Government's conduct in appointing eight members to the Republic's Human Rights Commission.
The decision to ignore the recommendations of its own selection panel had the potential to undermine the work of the body before it had even got started, the party said.