The future of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission appeared to be in jeopardy last night (Friday) after it was confirmed that two members had withdrawn from the body's day-to-day business.
The troubled NIHRC was plunged into fresh disarray after it was confirmed that two commission members had "temporarily withdrawn" from the human rights body.
It is understood that commission members Patricia Kelly and Francis McGuiness officially withdrew from the organisation after a meeting at its headquarters on Monday.
It is also understood that while the two stopped short of resigning from the commission their decision to withdraw means that they will not take part in the day-to-day business of the human rights organisation.
The withdrawal of Ms Kelly and Mr McGuiness is the latest difficulty to hit the commission.
In July, Patrick Yu resigned from the commission claiming that its stance had undermined existing human rights, equality protection and the Good Friday Agreement itself.
In September 2002, Christine Bell and Inez McCormack resigned from the body claiming that the commission had been "ineffective" in both the protection and promotion of human rights in Northern Ireland.
Inez McCormack branded the commission a "toothless organisation" and claimed that the body had failed to use its statutory powers to its best advantage.
The commission came in for further criticism this week when it was accused of undermining public confidence in its work and of having failed to take steps to address the lack of public confidence.
The stinging criticism came in a letter from Sinn Féin's Bairbre de Brun to both the Northern Ireland Office and the NIHRC itself.
In recent months both the SDLP and Sinn Féin have expressed disquiet over the actions of the NIHRC after it was embroiled in a series of controversies.
The commission has faced criticism over its handling of a case relating to the Holy Cross school protest as well as its plans for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.
The NIHRC found itself in the media spotlight after it agreed to fund a legal challenge by a Holy Cross parent to the policing of the protest, but then it was revealed that commission chief Brice Dickson had written to then chief constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan stating that he did not believe the case had any merit.
NIHRC chief executive Paddy Sloan last night refused to confirm or deny that two members had withdrawn from the commission.
"There have been no further resignations from the NIHRC, nor has anyone threatened to resign," he said.
"There are ongoing discussions internally regarding recent criticisms of the commission about which it would be unhelpful to comment further at this time."
Neither Patricia Kelly nor Frank McGuiness could be contacted for comment last night.
