Invitation for Applications - Members of the Audit & Governance Committee
The Centre:
The ICEL is an educational charity, a Centre of the School of Law of Trinity College Dublin and a company limited by guarantee and a registered educational charity. The ICEL is the leading organisation promoting the knowledge and practice of EU and European Human Rights law across the island of Ireland. Recent events in Europe and Ireland’s Council Presidency in 2025 make this more important than ever. The ICEL is governed by an independent Board and Committees.
The Board
Chairperson is the Centre’s President, Hon Mr Justice Anthony M Collins (a serving member of the Irish Court of Appeal and former Advocate General at the Court of Justice). It was founded in 1988 by Senator Mary Robinson SC (later 7th President of Ireland,and now the Centre’s Patron) as a membership-based association to further education in the law and research of the European Union and European human rights.The Centre serves the legal professions, legal academics, law students, public institutions, the voluntary sector, businesses and the wider public. The Centre organises conferences and seminars across the island of Ireland in various areas of EU law (in particular, environmental, public procurement, data protection, Brexit and competition law) and in human rights law. The Centre is also the Irish member of the European Law Association for Criminal Law and the Protection of the Financial Interests of the EU, which is run by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). The Centre has annual revenues of arp€150k, and an Executive Director based in our offices in Trinity. The Centre has recently launched activities in Northern Ireland, and additionally has recruited a part-time Assistant Director for Northern Ireland based in Belfast.
The Role:
The Audit & Governance Committee is a Committee of the Centre elected by the Members, to which the Treasurer, Secretary and Board account, and advises the Board on financial controls, regulatory compliance and reports. The ICEL seeks applications for appointment as members of the Audit & Governance Committee.
Committee financial/accounting/risk expertise.
Audit & Governance Committee meetings occur quarterly, in advance of Board meetings.
Responsibilities will include the following:
The membership of the Audit & Governance Committee will be increased. The Committee is a Standing Committee independent of the Board. The Centre’s
governance is set out here.
• Finance/Accounting vacancies - The Committee evaluates and monitors the adequacy of financial controls and procedures and ensure that the organisation
is compliant with best practice It also makes recommendations to the Board on its annual budget, revised forecasts, annual report and financial statements,
and on financial policies. In light of pending retirement of an accountant member, further accounting experience is required.
• Risk vacancy – In light of the recent retirement of a member specialised in risk, further expertise in relevant risks is required.
• Governance vacancy – The Committee evaluates and monitors the Centre’s compliance with statutory requirements, Charites Regulator guidance and best
practice for a company limited by guarantee and educational charity. Additional experience in best practice and requirements in governance is desirable.
Desirable skills
• Professional experience in audit, governance, accountancy, law, financial management, risk management, senior business management, a senior level in
the public service or equivalent governance experience;
• A professional qualification in accounting, law, governance or risk management;
• Experience in advising charities on compliance;
• Experience as a charity trustee, a committee member, school governorship or similar voluntary role;
• Interest or experience in matters related to the European Union and/or the Council of Europe;
• Interest or experience in event planning and professional educational seminars, events or similar.
General duties of a Committee Member
• Comply with the Centre’s governing document
• Ensuring the Centre is complying with its charitable purpose for the public benefit
• Acting in the best interest of the Centre
• Act with Reasonable Care and Skill
Time Commitment
(1)
Total
Inclusive of meetings, the expected time commitment for the role is approximately 0.5 days per quarter.
NB It is not expected that members of the Audit & Governance Committee play a rolein or attend other voluntary activities of the Centre (in particular events in EU and Human Rights law), although this would be welcome.
(2)
Board, Committee and General Meetings
Committee members are required to attend on 5 days annually, for meetings of 1.5 hours:
• 4 scheduled Audit & Governance committee meetings (held 2 weeks before Board meetings); and,
• 1 scheduled joint Board and Audit & Governance meeting (held in June).
Dates of meetings may change to suit Board and Committee members.
Committee members are also welcome to attend the AGM and the 2 Advisory Council meetings per year.
(3)
Timings of meetings
The timing of Committee meetings is decided by agreement, but typically at 5pm.
(4)
Forum of meetings
Committee meetings are typically held online.
(5)
Method of communication
Work of Committee members is flexible and will mostly be conducted by email: liaison between volunteers may take place outside office hours; liaison with staff may take place during office hours.
Appointment & Term
The Members of the Audit & Governance Committee will be appointed from 28thSeptember 2026 or such other date as may be agreed by the Board.
Members of the Audit & Governance will be initially appointed for a period up to the September 2026 AGM, with the possibility of a renewal for a term of 3 years.
Diversity
The ICEL is committed to diversity in appointments to the Board and Committees, in terms of: gender; age; ethnicity; sexual orientation; the inclusion of members of the legal professions and those involved in legal education; geography in terms of residence or place of business on the island of Ireland (including both legal
jurisdictions).
The Nomination, Employment and Remuneration Committee has been asked to have regard to the skills and diversity on the Board and Committees and to recommend appointments, where possible, on the basis of bringing Board and Committees towards gender balance.
Application Deadline
Applications should be made to recruitmenticel@gmail.com and to icel@tcd.ie on or by 26th June 2026 and will be treated strictly in confidence. It is intended interviews will take place in the July.
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