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The Minister of State with special responsibility for Equality, New Communities and Culture, Mr. Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD, welcomes the nomination by the Public Appointments Service of Ms Emily Logan to serve as Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. The Irish Human and Equality Rights Commission Bill passed all stages in the Dáil and Seanad on 11 July and it is envisaged that it will be signed into law by the President shortly. It is intended that the necessary orders establishing the new Commission will be made in September. The formal appointment of Ms Logan - and of the 14 other members of the Commission who were designated in April 2013 - will then be made by the President following the passing of motions in both Houses of the Oireachtas.

Ms Logan will take up her new role on 1 October 2014, but is being appointed immediately on an interim basis as President of the Human Rights Commission and as chair of the Equality Authority. Minister Fitzgerald will submit a formal proposal in that regard to Government at its meeting next week.

"Emily brings a wealth of experience from her role as Ombudsman for Children to her new responsibilities as Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission" said Minister Ó Ríordáin. "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. I wish her every success in her new position".