The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Right Honourable
MP, has announced the
appointment of Mairead Holder as a Commissioner to the Northern
Ireland Human Rights Commission.
Mrs Holder will take up the appointment with effect from 1
September 2024.
Mrs Holder is currently a Barrister and Official Solicitor for
Northern Ireland. Mairead formerly held the position of Senior
Principal Legal Officer on Human Rights for the Attorney
General's Office.
Background
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (the ‘NIHRC') was
created by the Northern Ireland Act 1998, as part of the Belfast
(Good Friday) Agreement.
The NIHRC was established in 1999 and operates as an executive
non-departmental public body sponsored by the Northern Ireland
Office.
Its powers and duties are set out in legislation, and it operates
in compliance with UN General Assembly resolution 48/134 (the
‘Paris Principles') on National Human Rights Institutions. The
NIHRC's functions include keeping under review the adequacy and
effectiveness in Northern Ireland of law and practice relating to
the protection of human rights and promoting understanding and
awareness of the importance of human rights in Northern
Ireland.
Further information about the work of the Commission can be found
at: https://nihrc.org/about-us
Terms of appointment
- This position is part-time for a period of three years ending
on 31 August 2027.
- The position receives a fixed annual remuneration of £7,500.
- The position is not pensionable.
Political Activity
All appointments are made on merit and with regards to the
statutory requirements. Political activity plays no part in the
selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan
recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political
activity in defined categories to be made public.
Mrs Holder has declared that she has not been politically active
in the past five years.
Regulation
The appointment process has been regulated by the Office of the
Commissioner for Public Appointment (OCPA) and all stages of the
process were overseen by an independent panel member.
Statutory Requirements
The Secretary of State makes appointments to the Northern Ireland
Human Rights Commission in accordance with the Northern Ireland
Act 1998.
