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What we do - Diversity and Communications
What does the Diversity and Communications Team at the
Commission do?
The Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission is
responsible for making a wide range of recommendations for
appointment up to, and including High Court Judge, as set out in
the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002.
We are placed under a statutory duty to ensure appointments
to judicial office are based solely on merit, and we must
undertake a programme of action to secure, so far as reasonably
practicable, that those holding judicial office are reflective
of the community.
This includes ensuring that the widest possible pool of
eligible people (reflective of the community) is available to a
Selection Committee for short listing.
As part of this work, the Diversity and Communications Team are
also responsible for:
- Developing and implementing the NIJAC Communications
Strategy in partnership with Commissioners, the Law Society
and Bar Council;
- Conducting and commissioning research into the barriers
which prevent people from applying for, or being successful
in their application for judicial posts - with the aim of
introducing actions to widen the pool, improving the
appointments process, and ultimately ensuring the best
candidate is selected for judicial office;
- Reviewing each Scheme Outreach Plan and reporting on
same within two weeks of the vacancy closing date;
- Promoting the work of the Commission; and
- Carrying out Equality Monitoring of the Appointments
Process.
Does your Team seek to recommend people from under-represented
groups for judicial office?
No.
The Commission is committed to the principles of appointment
solely on merit.
A Selection Committee will only recommend for appointment a
candidate who is judged by them to have demonstrated best the
competences and criteria required for the position regardless
of gender, marital status, sexual orientation, ethnic origin,
religious belief, political opinion, disability, age or whether
or not the candidate has dependants.
The Lord Chancellor then makes or recommends the appointment to
judicial office based on the Selection Committee's
recommendation.
What else does the Diversity & Communications Team do?
We work very closely with our colleagues in the Appointments
Team on many aspects of each judicial vacancy (in the
Commission, we refer to each vacancy process as a "scheme"). For each scheme, our Team will design and implement a
"Scheme Outreach Plan".
This is specifically tailored for each post and involves
publicly advertising the judicial vacancy i.e. through local
press, professional publications, web, email, etc.
We aim to reach the maximum pool of potential eligible
candidates, including those from under-represented groups.
For example, earlier this year, we conducted a scheme for a
medical member of a Pensions Appeal Tribunal and through our
discussions with contacts on Health Trusts, we were able to
contact all GP's in Northern Ireland by email, to inform them
that the vacancy would soon be appearing in the National Press.
We also advertised the position in the British Medical Journal
and were extremely pleased at the significant interest in this
position.
Where have you advertised in the past?
Previous advertising campaigns have involved the Belfast
Telegraph, Irish News, Newsletter, The Writ and the Bar Library
for legal professionals.
However, we are always seeking new ways to communicate and we
will consider placing our advertisements on specific websites or
distributing them by email to ensure our vacancies are
advertised to the widest possible audience.
Where can I find more information about these vacancies?
You can sign up for our email notification service (click
here) which will alert you (by email) to recent
appointments, events and publications.
You can also access our online Calendar (click
here), which is updated regularly with events and seminars
which NIJAC will be delivering to the legal profession and
others.
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