Michael Farrell re-appointed to European Commission against Racism and Intolerance

Michael Farrell’s position as Irish member of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has been renewed by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald.

Mr Farrell, who was first nominated to the position in 2011, is a legal consultant and lecturer specialising in human rights law. His term has now been renewed until 2021.

Ms Fitzgerald said: “Michael Farrell is highly qualified for the position of Ireland’s member of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance given his wide range of expertise and experience in this area at both national and international levels.

“He has played an active role in ECRI over the last 5 years and I have no doubt that he will continue to serve Ireland well and make a significant contribution to the work of this important body.

“Ireland is supportive of the very important work carried out by ECRI in pursuing it’s mandate of combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, anti-semitism and intolerance.”

Throughout his career, Mr Farrell has operated at both national and international level with a wide range of organisations and groups.

Mr Farrell worked as a senior solicitor with FLAC and was a member of the former Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) from 2001-11.

He has chaired the IHRC’s racism, migration and trafficking committee and the racism sub-committee of the joint committee of the IHRC and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

He was also vice-chair and then co-chair of the Irish Council of Civil Liberties (ICCL) during the 1990s.