Appointments to the Council of State
Irish language activist Linda Ervine and academic Colin Harvey are among seven individuals appointed by Irish president Catherine Connolly to the Council of State.
Under the Irish constitution, the Council of State serves to provide advice to the president.
Ervine was born into a working-class Protestant family in east Belfast and manages the first Irish language centre located in a loyalist area.
Harvey is a Professor of Human Rights Law in the School of Law at Queen's University Belfast (QUB).
Ervine founded Scoil na Seolta, the first integrated school delivering education through the medium of Irish.
In 2021, she was awarded an MBE for her efforts in promoting the Irish language. Two years later, she received an honorary doctorate from Queen's University Belfast.
In 2024, Ervine was inducted as a member of the Royal Irish Academy and was also granted an honorary degree from Trinity College in June 2025.
Her most recent accolade is an honorary degree awarded by the Open University in October 2025.
Colin Harvey holds the position of Professor of Human Rights Law at QUB’s School of Law. He also serves as a Commissioner on the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and is a member of the Scientific Committee of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency.
Previously, Harvey completed two terms as a commissioner on the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and was a member of the Northern Ireland Higher Education Council.
Other Council of State Appointees
The remaining five individuals appointed by President Connolly to the Council of State are Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, Kathleen Lynch, Donncha O'Connell, Conor O'Mahony, and Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh.
Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin is an expert in international law and human rights and currently serves as Professor of Law at Queen's University Belfast.
She has held visiting academic positions at prestigious institutions including Harvard Law School, Yale University, Princeton University, and the Geneva Academy in Switzerland.
Kathleen Lynch is a sociologist and Professor Emerita of Equality Studies at University College Dublin (UCD), where she also held a Senior Lectureship in Education.
She has served as a member of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.
Conor O'Mahony is Professor of Law and Dean of the School of Law at University College Cork. His teaching and research focus on constitutional law and children's rights.
Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh is a former president of the University of Galway, which is located in the Irish county from which President Connolly originates.
Donncha O'Connell is an Established Professor of Law at University of Galway. He served two terms as a Commissioner of the Law Reform Commission and was a member of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland as well as a board member of the Legal Aid Board.
Role and Composition of the Council of State
The Council of State advises the President of Ireland when consultation is required. This advice can pertain to matters such as whether a draft bill should be referred to the Supreme Court for constitutional review.
The Council comprises three categories of members: seven individuals appointed by the president, former presidents, former Taoisigh (Irish prime ministers), and former Chief Justices. Additionally, it includes current officeholders such as the Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister), Chief Justice, President of the Court of Appeal, President of the High Court, Ceann Comhairle (Chair of the lower house of parliament), Cathaoirleach of the Seanad (Chair of the upper house of parliament), and the Attorney General.
The Irish Constitution specifies the circumstances under which the President must consult the Council of State.
