Les Allamby

Writing in the foreword to the human rights body’s latest annual report, Mr Allamby said the organisation needs “a decent financial platform” in order to fulfil its mandate to “protect and promote the human rights of everyone in Northern Ireland”.

He said: “The Commission delivers high-quality work within further diminishing financial resources. As a statutory public body we are obliged to live within our means, nonetheless it would be remiss of me not to highlight the difficulties we face in fully meeting our mandate.

“This year an internal audit recommended the need for an external review of our work and this is a recommendation the Commission endorses as it would shine a welcome light on what I believe is an organisation which provides value for money, effectiveness and efficiency in its work.”

Over the course of 2018/19, the commission has worked on high-profile issues including human rights after Brexit, abortion law and LGBT rights.

In a high-profile case last summer, the commission was ultimately unsuccessful in an appeal to the UK Supreme Court that the current law on abortion in Northern Ireland is not compatible with human rights in cases of fatal foetal abnormality.

Mr Allamby said: “The Supreme Court ruled by a majority that the commission did not have the statutory power to take the case without a victim yet, unusually also went on to give its legal opinion (again by a majority) that the current law is not compatible with Article 8 (the rights to family and private life) in cases of fatal foetal abnormality and for victims of sexual crimes.

“Additional court challenges have been lodged by others with the Commission intervening as an interested party. The Secretary of State has announced that the Commission’s powers to take cases in its own name as originally purposed will be restored at the first legislative opportunity and the Commission welcomes that commitment, hoping to see it realised expeditely.”