NORTHERN Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has appointed six commissioners to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
Former Head of the NSPCC in the North, Neil Anderson was re-appointed as the Deputy Chief Commissioner (DCC) at the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
He will work alongside Lisa Caldwell, the Director of External Affairs at Belfast City Council, who was also appointed a commissioner in Mr Heaton-Harris's February 20 announcement.
Chief Executive of Relate NI, Duane Farrell, public sector strategy advisor Jarlath Kearney, Carmel McKinney, who is the Chair of the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service Board, and former Chief Executive of The Cedar Foundation Stephen Matthews have also been appointed as commissioners.
Their appointments take effect from March 1, with the Northern Ireland Office confirming: “All appointments are made on merit and with regards to the statutory requirements. Political activity plays no part in the selection process.”
The six positions are part-time and run for a period of three years, which ends on February 28, 2026.
Each commissioner receives a fixed annual payment of £5,000, while in the post.
The Equality Commission was established in 1999, as part of the implementation of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.
It took over the functions of the Fair Employment Commission, Equal Opportunities Commission, and Council for Racial Equality and Northern Ireland Disability Council.
The Commission’s powers and duties derive from a number of statutes which have been enacted over the last decades, providing protection against discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, race, religion and political opinion, sex and sexual orientation.
It also has responsibilities arising from the Northern Ireland Act 1998 in respect of the statutory equality and good relations duties which apply to public authorities.
The Commission is funded and sponsored by The Executive Office.
