First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly have appointed two new Lay Members to the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission (NIJAC), the independent body responsible for selecting judges up to High Court level. Dr Geraldine O’Hare, a consultant forensic psychologist, and Mr Peter Osborne, a veteran reconciliation specialist, will serve four-year terms from 4 June 2026 to 3 June 2030.
The appointments coincide with a major recruitment campaign for 119 lay magistrates launched by the Commission this month, underscoring a period of significant activity for the oversight body established under post-Good Friday Agreement justice reforms.
Expertise in psychology and reconciliation
Dr O’Hare brings three decades of experience within the Criminal Justice System, having served as Head of Psychological Services and Director of Rehabilitation with the Probation Board for Northern Ireland. A Consultant Forensic Psychologist and Chartered Scientist, she holds a Churchill Fellowship and received the British Psychological Society’s Presidential Award for Innovation, Leadership and Practice. She is currently President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland and Chair of the Risk Management Authority Scotland, roles which attract daily fees of £335 each.
Mr Osborne’s appointment adds deep expertise in community relations and peace building. He previously chaired both the Community Relations Council and the Parades Commission for a combined decade, and founded the social enterprise Landmark East (now Eastside Property). His current voluntary commitments include chairing the Centre for Cross Border Cooperation, Remembering Srebrenica NI, and the Integrated Education Fund. He also serves as a Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board until November 2026, a role remunerated at £15,000 per annum, and as a Trustee of National Museums NI.
Commission composition and judicial reappointment
NIJAC was established on 15 June 2005 under the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002. It comprises 13 members: the Lady Chief Justice as Chair, five judicial members, two legal profession members, and five Lay Members recruited through open competition regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments NI.
Alongside the new lay appointments, Lord Justice Treacy has been reappointed as a Judicial Member, but only until 30 November 2026. He was originally appointed on 4 May 2021 for a five-year term ending 3 May 2026. Judicial members, with the exception of the lay magistrate commissioner, serve without remuneration.
Terms, fees and political declarations
Both Dr O’Hare and Mr Osborne declared no political activity in the last five years, as required by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Their NIJAC roles will attract a daily rate of £355.25.
The appointments follow the earlier 2026 recruitment of Mrs Deirdre Toner and Mr Mark Mitchell, whose four-year terms began on 25 February 2026. Together, these selections determine the lay membership of the Commission responsible for judicial appointments up to and including High Court Judge.
Unanswered questions
While the biographical details are comprehensive, the announcement offers no direct explanation from the First Minister or deputy First Minister regarding the specific strategic priorities these appointments are intended to address. Several questions remain for stakeholders:
- Why has Lord Justice Treacy been reappointed only until November 2026 rather than a standard four or five-year term, and will a successor be appointed before that date?
- Given Dr O’Hare’s multiple regulatory roles in pharmaceutical and risk management authorities, how will the Commission manage potential conflicts of interest or capacity constraints?
- What specific expertise gaps did the ministers seek to fill with these particular candidates, and how do they complement the existing lay membership?
- With five lay members now appointed or reappointed in 2026, how is NIJAC ensuring geographic and community balance across Northern Ireland’s diverse constituencies?
These appointments complete the current cycle of lay member selections to NIJAC, bringing forensic psychological expertise and extensive community reconciliation experience to the judicial selection process. As the Commission simultaneously seeks to recruit over 100 lay magistrates for Youth and Family Proceedings Courts, its influence over the composition and character of Northern Ireland’s judiciary remains particularly significant. Observers will watch to see whether the new commissioners advocate for further diversification of the bench, and how the Commission navigates the transition of Lord Justice Treacy’s successor later this year.