Doireann Ansbro

Ms Ansbro, a former associate legal adviser to the International Commission of Jurists, succeeds Dr Maeve O’Rourke in the role.

Liam Herrick, executive director of the ICCL, said: “Doireann brings with her a wealth of experience in advocating for rights at the international level not only with the ICJ, but also as consultant to the UN Special Rappporteur on truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence. We are very much looking forward to Doireann bringing this expertise to bear on ICCL’s work.”

Ms Ansbro said: “I’m delighted to be taking up this role with the ICCL, one of the most respected and enduring human rights NGOs in Ireland. I look forward to contributing to its work in making Ireland a fairer, more equal and more just country with human rights at the heart of our laws, our policies and our society as a whole.”

Meanwhile, Dr O’Rourke has taken up a new role as a lecturer in human rights law at NUI Galway.

Mr Herrick said: “Maeve made a huge contribution to the work of ICCL over the past year, bringing with her a passion for justice for so-called ‘historical’ abuse and for rights in places of detention, both of which she advocated for with a razor-sharp intellect and wonderful charisma. We have no doubt that Maeve’s work will continue to shed light on dark chapters of Ireland’s past and present and we wish her every success in her future career.”