Chairperson, Secretary&Members of the Members’ Committee, Dublin

The Centre The ICEL is an educational charity, a Centre of the School of Law of Trinity College Dublin and a company limited by guarantee and a registered educational charity. The ICEL is the leading organisation promoting the knowledge and practice of EU and European Human Rights law across the island of Ireland. Recent events in Europe and Ireland’s Council Presidency in 2025 make this more important than ever.

The ICEL is governed by an independent Board and Committees. The Board chairperson is the Centre’s President, Hon Mr Justice Anthony M Collins (a serving member of the Irish Court of Appeal and former Advocate General at the Court of Justice) and it was founded in 1988 by Senator Mary Robinson SC (later 7th President of Ireland, and now the Centre’s Patron) as a membership-based association to further education in the law and research of the European Union and European human rights. The Centre serves the legal professions, legal academics, law students, public institutions, the voluntary sector, businesses and the wider public.

The Centre organises conferences and seminars across the island of Ireland in various areas of EU law (in particular, environmental, public procurement, data protection, Brexit and competition law) and in human rights law. The Centre is also the Irish member of the European Law Association for Criminal Law and the Protection of the Financial Interests of the EU, which is run by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).

The Centre has annual revenues of approximately€150k, and an Executive Director based in our offices in Trinity. The Centre has recently launched activities in Northern Ireland, and additionally has recruited a part-time Assistant Director for Northern Ireland based in Belfast.

Committee The Members’ Committee, a Standing Committee of the Centre, independently plans and runs 1-4 events a year, with some staff assistance. The Members’ Committee is the central point for involvement of individuals (ordinary members, associate members and staff of group members) in the life of the Centre. Members of the Members’ Committee are volunteers, and are not company directors or Charity Trustees.

Roles The Chairperson and Secretary lead the Members’ Committee. These vacancies arise as the current Chairperson, who has also acted as Secretary, has been appointed to the Board of the Centre. Additional Members are also sought.

Responsibilities of the Chairperson will include the following:

Chairing meetings of the Members’ Committee

Creatively and dynamically planning and leading the implementation of Members’ Committee’s programme of events

Together with the Executive Director, designing a plan for the recruitment and involvement of individuals in the life of the Centre, and leading the Members’ Committee in the delivery of that plan

Working constructively with other membership-based organisations in EU and Human Rights law in Ireland, in particular to co-run events

Developing and recruiting to the Members’ Committee

Working with the President, Deputy President and Executive Director on membership relations

Accounting to the Board and Advisory Council for the work of the Members’ Committee

Responsibilities of the Secretary will include the following:

Drafting the agenda and minutes of Committee meetings

Drafting reports to the Board and ICEL Secretary

Ensuring actions from Committee meetings are followed-up

Convening Committee meetings

Liaising with the Executive Director

As may be agreed, assisting the Chairperson in the discharge of her/his tasks

Responsibilities of Committee Members

Attendance at Committee meetings

Planning and assisting in the organisation of Committee events

General duties of a Committee Member

Comply with the Centre’s governing document

Ensuring the Centre is complying with its charitable purpose for the public benefit

Acting in the best interest of the Centre

Act with Reasonable Care and Skill

Anticipated profile of Committee Members

The Committee is intended to draw from and represent all areas of interest in EU and European human rights law, at all levels of seniority

Solicitor (including trainees), barrister, academic (including early career), researcher, public servant, or NGO sector. Those working in the European institutions (in Brussels, Luxembourg or Strasbourg) and at the Bars of Ireland and Northern Ireland are particularly welcome; or

Experience in membership development (whether as a volunteer or professional) with a strong interest in EU affairs or human rights

Term The Chairperson, Secretary and Members of the Members’ Committee will be appointed by the Committee by end June 2026 for a term until the next AGM, renewable annually.

Committee Meetings There are approximately 10 committee meetings a year depending on the work programme, currently held online at Friday lunchtimes.

The Chairperson is also encouraged to attend meetings of the Board (held 4 times a year) and the Advisory Council (held 2 times a year, on the same evenings as the Board). Committee Members have a right of attendance at the Centre’s Advisory Council. The Board and Council meet in hybrid form (in-person at Trinity College Dublin).

Diversity The ICEL is committed to diversity in appointments to the Board and Committees, in terms of: gender; age; ethnicity; sexual orientation; the inclusion of members of the legal professions and those involved in legal education; geography in terms of residence or place of business on the island of Ireland (including both legal jurisdictions). The Nomination, Employment and Remuneration Committee has been asked to have regard to the skills and diversity on the Board and Committees and to recommend appointments, where possible, on the basis of bringing the Board and Committees towards gender balance.

Application Deadline Applications should be submitted via Boardmatch or emailed to . They should be received on or by 26th June 2026 and will be treated strictly in confidence. Interviews will take place in the week beginning 20th July 2026.

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