Appointment of human rights commissioners delayed by challenge

The appointment of seven new commissioners at the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has been delayed by a challenge to the process, The Irish Times reports.

Outgoing commissioner Betty Purcell is challenging Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan over the grounds on which she has not been reappointed.

Ms Purcell is a media consultant and former producer at RTÉ, and has been a member of the Commission since 2014.

The Public Appointments Service (PAS) has requested she “provide details by 1st February 2018 of the basis on which you are challenging PAS’s selection process”, after which Mr Flanagan “will proceed with the process of recommending the candidates selected by PAS”.