THE CHILDREN’S OMBUDSMAN Emily Logan has announced she is being nominated the first Chief Commissioner of the new Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.

The Commission is being formed through the merging of the Irish Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority, under new legislation passed by the Oireachtas last week.

Logan said she was “honoured to be nominated” for the position, and that it “will be an honour to work with a Commission of such calibre, expertise and diversity.”

She added:

I would like to join Mr David Joyce, Acting Chairperson of the IHREC (Designate) in his public commitment to delivering the mandate given to the Commission by the new legislation to work for the promotion and protection of the human rights and equality of everyone in Ireland.

Logan will step down from her Ombudsman post this autumn in order to take up her new role.

“It has been a privilege to serve as Ireland’s first Ombudsman for Children for the past decade,” she said today.

It was a remarkable experience for me both personally and professionally, and I believe that my Office made an important contribution to the promotion and protection of children’s rights during this time.

Then-Justice Minister Alan Shatter announced the names of the 14 members designate to the new body in April 2013. The formal appointment of the Commission chief and members will be made by President Higgins following the passing of relevant motions in the Dáil and Seanad.

The new Minister of State with responsibility for Equality Aodhán Ó Ríordáin welcomed Logan’s nomination, saying she “brings a wealth of experience from her role as Ombudsman for Children” to her new post.

“I wish her every success in her new position,” he said, adding:

The new Commission has the potential to make a very real difference to human rights and equality in Ireland, not least by working with public bodies to improve standards, providing training and invite the development of action plans to address identified failures, for which it has been given a specific power by the legislation.

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties also welcomed Logan’s nomination.

ICCL Director Mark Kelly described Logan as an “outstanding choice” for the role.

“As Ombudsman for Children, she has been a fearless defender of the rights of vulnerable young people and her independence and vision will be huge assets to Ireland’s new statutory national human rights institution,” Kelly said.

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