Widely regarded as one of Northern Ireland’s top legal academics, Professor Harvey was interviewed more than 18 months ago as part of the appointments process for the panel but said he has heard nothing since.

Under the New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) agreement which restored devolution, an ad-hoc committee was set up to “consider the creation of a bill of rights that is faithful to the stated intention of the [Good Friday Agreement]”.

The agreement provided that the ad-hoc committee would be “assisted in its work by a panel of five experts appointed jointly by the first minister and deputy first minister”.

To date, the panel of experts has not been appointed. Irish Legal News understands there is now concern that the committee will be forced to produce its report without the opportunity to consult experts.

Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin, who chairs the bill of rights committee, said on Friday that the lack of progress on appointing the panel was “totally unacceptable”.

She added: “The DUP is blocking the appointment of a human rights expert and academic to the panel.

“A bill of rights guaranteeing human rights for all citizens is no threat to anyone but the DUP is unwilling and incapable of delivering on rights, whether that is for women, our LGBT+ citizens, our Irish language community and others.”

Amnesty International has written to Northern Ireland’s first minister and deputy first minister to raise concerns about the latest developments.

Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty’s Northern Ireland programme director, said: “[The failure to appoint the panel] puts them in breach of New Decade, New Approach, the very basis on which devolution was re-established in January 2020.

“It is even more concerning if the failure to agree this five-member panel is because of a refusal to appoint someone of the standing of Professor Colin Harvey, a leading authority on constitutional and human rights law on these islands and one of the most distinguished researchers and writers on the bill of rights for Northern Ireland.

“Advice and guidance from experts of the standing of Professor Harvey would have proved invaluable to the committee’s work.

“Sadly, the failure to have the panel of experts in place has now undermined the credibility of the ad-hoc committee process itself, notwithstanding the good work of its members and the many civil society groups which have invested time in providing evidence.

“Northern Ireland needs a bill of rights to help people access their rights. But first, we need government to stop obstructing the very process which could deliver one.”