The Law Reform Commission has confirmed that the Government has appointed three part-time commissioners from 1 October for five-year terms.

The new commissioners are:

• Mr Justice Maurice Collins, judge of the Court of Appeal,
• Mr Justice Richard Humphreys, judge of the High Court,
• Dr Andrea Mulligan, Barrister-at-Law and Assistant Professor of Law, Trinity College Dublin.

LRC President Ms Justice Mary Laffoy said: “On my own behalf, and on behalf of the full-time Commissioner Raymond Byrne and the entire staff of the commission, I very much welcome the appointment by the Government of Mr Justice Maurice Collins, Mr Justice Richard Humphreys and Dr Andrea Mulligan as members of the commission.

“Their appointment continues the long-standing view of the Government, in accordance with the Law Reform Commission Act 1975, of the need to appoint eminent persons with expertise in a variety of areas of the law as members of the commission.” 

Care 

The LRC President also thanked the Attorney General for the great care taken in carrying out his role under the 1975 Act in nominating the new commissioners for appointment by the Government.

Ms Justice Laffoy also paid tribute to the three part-time commissioners whose terms of office came to an end on 31 August – Professor Donncha O’Connell, Mr Thomas O’Malley and Ms Justice Carmel Stewart.

“Their contribution to the work of the commission has been of the highest standard and I wish to acknowledge that here.

“Their contribution has been especially valued this year because between March and August meetings of the commission had to be conducted virtually," she said.

Challenging time

“During that challenging time, they were especially committed to ensuring that by 31 August, we were in a position to complete work on four projects which had been, and were continuing to be, under intensive consideration by them,” Justice Laffoy continued.

The commissioners' tremendous work on those projects was unquestionably in the public interest, Justice Laffoy said.