Maeve O'Rourke is an Irish human rights lawyer.[1] She is known for her involvement in seeking access for survivors and adopted people to their own personal data, and the publication of appropriately anonymised administrative files, contained in 'historical' abuse archives in Ireland including the archives of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes, the Ryan Commission that investigated Industrial and Reformatory Schools, and the 'McAleese' Committee that inquired into Magdalene Laundries.[2][3] As of 2020, she lectures in Human Rights Law at the Irish Centre for Human Rights in NUIG.[4][5][6] She is a member of Justice for Magdalenes Research.[7] O'Rourke campaigns on behalf of unmarried mothers and their children.[8][9][10] She has represented victims before the Irish Human Rights Commission, and numerous United Nations human rights treaty bodies.[11][12] In October 2020, she was critical of the Government's statement that it intended to 'seal' information regarding Ireland's mother and baby homes for 30 years.[13][14]
Her father is broadcaster Sean O'Rourke.[15][16] She married Labour Party 2020 General Election candidate and employment solicitor Ciarán Ahern on 4 January 2020.[17][18][16]
References
[edit]- ^ "Plans to seal the records of Mother and Baby Homes met with backlash". Her.ie. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ "UN investigation into Magdalene laundries 'raises significant issues'". Irish Legal News. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ O'Rourke, Maeve (24 January 2020). "Ireland's experience of memorialisation in the context of serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law: A submission to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence". Justice for Magdalenes Research.
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(help) - ^ "'No justification' given as to why mother and baby homes documents sealed, says Dr Maeve O'Rourke". Extra.ie. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ "Mother and baby home abuse archive 'must stay unsealed'". Extra.ie. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ O’Donoghue, Paul. "Sealing mother and baby home records for 30 years 'shameful'". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ "Maeve O'Rourke: Not too late for State to break the secrecy around Mother and Baby Homes". Irish Examiner. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ "Mother-and-baby homes archive to be sealed for 30 years". 13 October 2020.
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(help) - ^ Pollak, Sorcha. "Parties should commit to establishing institutional abuse archive – coalition". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ Holland, Kitty. "Magdalene survivor's UN case of key importance, lawyer says". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ McKinley, Christopher. "Magdalene's lawyer wins family law award". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ Power, Jack. "Sealing abuse records for 75 years would make survivors 'invisible once more'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ O’Rourke, Dr Maeve. "Dr Maeve O'Rourke: Here's a full analysis of the problems with the Government's Mother and Baby Homes Bill". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ "Redress for 'historical' child abuse in care: what can Scotland learn from Ireland? - Dr Maeve O'Rourke". UK Human Rights Blog. 21 October 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ Freyne, Patrick. "Seán O'Rourke: 32,000 interviews later... 'I've had my fill'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Last-minute Labour general election candidate had to 'postpone honeymoon'". independent.ie. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ "Labour of love: Candidate postpones his honeymoon to run for party". independent.ie. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ "Lawyers in love – Dr Maeve O'Rourke weds Ciaran Ahern ofALG". www.lawsociety.ie. Retrieved 23 October 2020.