Maeve O'Rourke is an Irish human rights lawyer. 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. As of 2020, she lectures in Human Rights Law at the Irish Centre for Human Rights in the

University of Galway The University of Galway () is a public research university located in the city of Galway, Ireland. The university was founded in 1845 as "Queen's College, Galway". It was known as "University College, Galway" (UCG) () from 1908 to 1997 and as ...

. She is a member of Justice for Magdalenes Research. O'Rourke campaigns on behalf of unmarried mothers and their children. She has represented victims before the Irish Human Rights Commission, and numerous United Nations human rights treaty bodies. 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.

Personal life

Her father is broadcaster

Sean O'Rourke Sean O'Rourke (born 22 May 1955) is an Irish journalist and broadcaster who works for the Irish public broadcaster, RTÉ. From September 2013 until his retirement in May 2020, he presented the '' Today with Seán O'Rourke'' show every weekday fr ...

. She married employment solicitor

Ciarán Ahern Ciarán Ahern (born September 1984) is an Irish Labour Party politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-West constituency since the 2024 general election. Ahern was a member of South Dublin County Council from June to No ...

on 4 January 2020. Ahern is now a Labour Party TD. The couple have a son together.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:ORourke, Maeve Living people 21st-century Irish lawyers Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century Irish women lawyers