Independent and fearless
Our mandate is to speak truth to power, even when it is unpopular or difficult. We work to ensure that everyone in Ireland can enjoy all of their rights, all of the time.
ICCL is a membership organisation and we are fully independent of government.
Fighting for rights since '76
On 30 June 1976, Kader Asmal (later a member of Nelson Mandela's Cabinet in a newly democratic South Africa) announced the establishment of ICCL:
This Council is being formed to promote human rights, protect civil liberties, recover them where they have been removed, and enlarge them where they have been diminished.
Mary Robinson, a founding member of the ICCL (later President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights) recalls the early days.
Looking back on the early days of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties I recall the passion with which we addressed twin challenges: The need to create political and personal space in Ireland through reform of the Constitution and laws, and the need to affirm standards of civil liberties in the context of the increasing violence in Northern Ireland.
Since then, ICCL has been at the forefront of every major rights advance in Irish society for over 40 years. We helped legalise homosexuality, divorce, and contraception. We drove police reform, defending suspects' rights during dark times. ICCL is Ireland’s leading human rights organisation.
Our Constitution sets out our aims to defend and promote civil liberties and human rights.1ICCL's aims are to: defend and promote civil liberties and human rights of both individuals and groups; defend and promote women's rights as human rights; defend and promote international standards for human rights and civil liberties in Ireland; inform public opinion on matters impacting on civil liberties and human rights; monitor the situation of human rights and civil liberties in Ireland; carry out research on issues impacting on human rights and civil liberties; influence decision-making in areas relating to civil liberties and human rights; develop links with other national and international organisations working in the sphere of human rights and civil liberties; take any steps incidental to the achievement of these aims. Information about how ICCL is funded, its solvency, and independence, is available in our Annual Report. ICCL is a non-profit organisation. Our accounts are independently audited and submitted to the Irish Companies Office every year. ICCL is a company limited by guarantee (CRN: 411471). We have internal financial controls, including the oversight of a Finance Audit and Risk Committee with an external qualified accountant as chair.
ICCL leads the debate
ICCL's staff provide expert comment for international media, including The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Irish Times, The Irish Independent, RTE, and others. We work with rights organisations and lawmakers across the globe.
Team
Head of Research and Policy Claire Mc Evoy
Head of Communications and Development Ruth McCourt
Office and Operations Manager Chris McCartin
Democratic Freedoms Senior Policy Officer Ronan Kennedy
Equality and Hate Crime Senior Policy Officer Luna Lara Liboni
Policing and Justice Policy Officer Emily Williams
Criminal Justice Policy Officer Niamh McCormack
Finance and Administration Officer Deirdre Gough
Director of ICCL Enforce Dr Johnny Ryan FRHistS
Senior Fellow Dr Kris Shrishak
Surveillance and Human Rights Senior Policy Officer Olga Cronin
Board
Chair of Executive Board Colette Kelleher
Executive Board Member Claire Bruton
Executive Board Member Liz Carolan
Executive Board Member Stephen Casey
Executive Board Member Sharon Dillon-Lyons
Executive Board Member Daniel Holder
Executive Board Member Stiofáin MacDáibhéad
Executive Board Member Bulelani Mfaco
Executive Board Member Damian O'Broin
Executive Board Member Nathalie Weadick
Annual reports
