The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (“The Commission”) has announced the appointment of former PILA Legal Manager, Deirdre Malone as its new Director, following a competitive recruitment process run by the Public Appointments Service in line with the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) codes of practice.
Sinéad Gibney, Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission said:
“We are delighted to welcome Deirdre into the role of Director of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. I am very much looking forward to working with her in progressing IHREC’s strategic goals in this and future years.
“Through her extensive experience in law and public policy, Deirdre brings a depth of knowledge of senior management and public affairs, and through her professional experience demonstrates a deep commitment to the promotion of human rights and equality in Ireland.”
“I’d also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank Laurence Bond, who retired from his position as Director last year, following a long career in IHREC and the Equality Authority, and also Éimear Fisher who occupied the role as Acting Director for the last eight months.”
Deirdre Malone is a former Global Director within the legal policy team at Twitter. She holds an honours degree in law from Trinity College Dublin (2003) and a diploma in Charity Law, Trusteeship and Governance from the Law Society of Ireland (2020). She was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2006 and practiced for several years from Garden Court Chambers, as a barrister specialising in inquests and actions against the police.
She was Executive Director of the national NGO the Irish Penal Reform Trust 2014-2019 and was also Legal Manager of the Public Interest Law Alliance, a public interest law network that seeks to engage the legal community and civil society in using the law to advance social change from 2019-2021.
Previously Deirdre has also worked in the legal department of Liberty (National Council for Civil Liberties UK), in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Ireland), and as a legal researcher for the Irish Attorney General.