Rights body panel steps aside amid UN’s process concerns

Efforts by the Justice Minister Alan Shatter to establish a Human Rights and Equality Commission have hit another major stumbling block, after the Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly withdrew her involvement.

Ms O’Reilly has written to the minister to say that she, along with four others who were part of a “selection panel” to appoint members to the commission, will step aside.

They made the decision after they became aware of concerns of the United Nations in relation to the process of establishing the selection panel. The letter said: “These concerns were contained in legal advice sent to the Government from the Office of the High Commissioner earlier this month.”