About Us

2020

Jayson Montenegro (JFU member) meets Minister for Justice Helen McEntee about a regularisation scheme for undocumented people

2019

Young, Paperless & Powerless deliver an open letter signed by thousands to the Dáil

2010

The Restaurant Workers Action Group fights for better conditions for fast food workers

2014

After a 19-day occupation of their former workplace, the Paris Bakery workers celebrate success

2010

MRCI campaigners protest work permit rules tying migrants to exploitative employers

2019

The founding of Ireland's very first care co-op led by migrant workers

2012

Justice for the Undocumented founder Jayson is the first person to speak publically about being undocumented in Ireland

2016

President Higgins visits an exhibition of one thousand paper cranes made by Justice for the Undocumented members

2015

Mohammed Younis is vindicated by the Supreme Court – his former employer owes him over €90,000 for 7 years of exploitation

2013

The Migrant Education Access Group win more equal access to third level for the children of migrants

2014

Ireland ratifies the Domestic Work Convention after a vigorous campaign by the Domestic Workers Action Group

MRCI is a national organisation working with migrants and their families in Ireland to promote justice, empowerment and equality.

Past

We’ve supported groups of workers when their employers abandoned them, documented racism on our streets and at our borders, won landmark victories for domestic workers, victims of forced labour, students, undocumented workers and families.

From the start, our work has been led by dedicated campaigners affected by the very issues they fight against – restaurant workers, au pairs, undocumented young people and more – and supported by countless allies from across Ireland and abroad.

Present

Right now, we handle 2,000 cases a year in our drop-in centre, helping people in Ireland live and work in safety and stability. We bring people together to fight for their rights as undocumented migrants, to make sure workers are valued, to help young people in Ireland live full and free lives. We’re building Ireland’s first care co-op run by migrant care workers, with decades of experience and endless determination. With partners on both sides of the border, we’re supporting workers in the border region.

Our office at 13 Lower Dorset Street is a hive of activity – a hub for late-night campaign meetings, a second home for some of Ireland’s most dedicated activists, and a safe and welcoming place for people at their lowest moments.

Future

We believe people should be able to move in safety and work with dignity. We believe children should grow up knowing they have a future in the country they call home.

Now more than ever, MRCI’s work is essential. The work we do in the coming years could shape the face of migration and work in Ireland for generations. Our focus on collective action, organisation and innovation is designed to build stronger communities, better workplaces, and a fairer, more open society for all. Together, we’ll make it happen.

Our team

Director

Edel McGinley

Edel McGinley has worked with the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland since 2006. In her time here she has coordinated the Justice for the Undocumented Campaign and held responsibility for MRCI's communications. She is the current chair of PICUM (the Platform for the International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants) and a board member of Uplift, a multi-issue campaigning organisation. Edel previously coordinated two Equality for Women initiatives, including developing the Domestic Workers Action Group, and work with migrant women in rural Ireland. Before joining MRCI, Edel worked in various social care and youth work positions. She has a BA in Applied Social Studies, an MA in Globalisation, and Diplomas in Youth and Community Work and Digital Media Technology.

Finance Manager

Hilary Royston

Hilary Royston is the Finance Manager with MRCI. She is responsible for the day to day accounting and financial management, budgeting and reporting on financial performance of MRCI. She is a qualified ACCA Accountant. Before joining MRCI, Hilary worked as a Programme Support Worker for an International NGO based in Dublin, focusing on school improvements in Sub-Saharan Africa. She also served with the US Peace Corps in Malawi as a Community Health Worker. She holds an Mphil in International Peace Studies from Trinity College Dublin and a Degree in European Studies from the University of Limerick. She is on the Board of Directors of the Dublin City Volunteer Centre and the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland.

Community Organiser

Chanasi Potso

Chanasi Potso. Chanasi is one of the first Bobby Gilmore Fellows. The Bobby Gilmore Fellowship is a learning programme in MRCI providing two people over a 12 month period the opportunity to gain training and work experience in the area of community and youth work, campaigns, employment and immigration policy. Chanasi's focus on the fellowship is campaign strategy and planning for the Justice for the Undocumented Campaign. Chanasi is chair of the strategy group which drives the JFU campaign and has represented JFU in many external events and meetings

Social Enterprise and Care Coordinator

Aoife Smith

Aoife Smith has a background in Community Development and Journalism. She manages the European Social Fund’s Home Care Social Enterprise project in MRCI. She is interested in solution-driven actions and methodologies to tackle social issues. Integral to her practice is supporting communities to generate and drive solutions to barriers they experience. She has been with MRCI since 2009 working alongside domestic workers, home care workers and au pairs on policy and campaigns to tackle discrimination based on gender, employment and immigration status. Aoife is also a co-founder and Board member of The Great Care Co-op.

Community Work Lead

Mairéad McDevitt

Mairéad has been working with young activists from the Young, Paperless &Powerful campaign in MRCI since 2018. She graduated in 2017 with a Masters in Community and Youth Work from Maynooth University. Mairéad is deeply passionate about youth work, and believes that young people should be front and centre of the decisions and policies that impact on their lives.
Prior to joining MRCI, Mairéad worked in the retail/hospitality industry for 20 years. She holds a BA in French and Italian, and also a Diploma in Environmental Science&Social Policy, both from UCC, Cork. Mairéad is deeply committed to, and passionate, about fairness and equality, anti-discriminatory narratives, social and climate justice.

PEACE IV Crossing Borders, Breaking Boundaries

Bríd McKeown

Bríd has been working with MRCI since March 2018. She manages a cross-border project focused on supporting migrant workers in the border region, working in the agriculture, food processing and services sectors. She has a background working with community groups on campaigns related to migration and gender, and holds an MA degree in Conflict, Governance, and International Development from University of East Anglia.

Legal Officer

Isabel Toolan

Isabel joined MRCI in 2019. Previously, she worked with asylum seekers and refugees in the USA. Isabel holds a juris doctor degree from the University of the District of Columbia.

Campaign Lead

Neil Bruton

Neil Bruton joined the MRCI in October 2018. Neil works on campaign planning and community development for the Justice for the Undocumented campaign. Neil’s background is in marketing and he has held various marketing management positions over the past ten years for both private companies and NGOs in Ireland and abroad. Neil holds a BA in Business & Languages and an MBS Masters in marketing, both from Dublin City University.

Caseworker

Rachel Reid

Rachel joined MRCI in January 2019 and currently works in the Drop-In Centre as a caseworker. Rachel's background is in Youth Work with a particular focus on migrant and refugee studies. Rachel previously worked as campaign support for Uplift, the multi-issue campaigning organisation and founded a coffee training program for women exiting sex work. Rachel has a particular interest in Migrant and Transgender rights, social justice and anti-racism work.

Community Organiser

Irene Jagoba

Irene is one of the first Bobby Gilmore Fellows. The Bobby Gilmore Fellowship is a learning programme in MRCI providing two people over a 12 month period the opportunity to gain training and work experience in the area of community and youth work, campaigns, employment and immigration policy. Irene's focus on the fellowship is growing and deepening the membership of the Justice for the Undocumented Campaign and Community Group. Irene is also an experienced activist and campaigner having worked for many years for the rights and regularisation of undocumented people.

Development Worker: Agri-food, Meat and Horticulture

Stanley Nwaneri

Stanley joined MRCI in April 2019 as Community Development Worker for Cavan, working on a cross-border project which focuses on supporting migrant workers in the border region. Stanley studied community development at CMETB and IT at Carlow Institute of Technology. Before joining MRCI, he was the chairperson of Cavan 4C Society and the vice president of the Latvian Society Cavan and Northern Ireland. He has set up a number of community groups in Cavan and is the chief coordinating member of the Cavan Multicultural Society. In recognition of his work in Cavan, he was elected to the Cavan County Local Development (CCLD) board of directors and the Teach Oscall FRC, Cavan Joint Policing Committee Members, (JPC), Cavan Covid-19 community response forum, Cavan Integration Strategy (CIS), Cavan Economic, Enterprise & Planning (SPC)

Communications Officer

Caroline Franca

Caroline has a BA in Law from Universidade de Sao Paulo and an LL.M. in International Human Rights Law from Trinity College. She coordinates communications in MRCI, with the media and with MRCI supporters. She has worked on several campaigns for change, including at Amnesty International and Alzheimer’s Society. She is passionate about empowering communities to campaign for social and economic justice.

Drop-in Centre Coordinator

Sancha Magat

Sancha is from the Philippines and has lived in Ireland since 1999. Prior to joining the MRCI, she was engaged as a Pastoral Care worker supporting asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers in accessing adult education. Sancha coordinates MRCI's Drop In Centre, providing information on rights and entitlements to migrant workers and their families, and advocating on their behalf with service providers and government departments. Sancha also engages with organisations around the country, to build referral relationships and ensure that the needs of migrant workers and their families are met. In 2011, Sancha graduated from a Master’s Degree in Management: Community and Voluntary Services at All Hallows College, Dublin. Recently appointed as Peace Commissioner in the County of Dublin.

Anti-Trafficking & Labour Exploitation Caseworker

Hilary Bíiz (Bizumuremyi)

Hilary Bíiz (Bizumuremyi) has been working with migrants to remove barriers that hinder the fulfilment and the enjoyment of their rights in Ireland since 2011. He worked with asylum seekers in direct provision centres, with Crosscare Migrants Project, and with the Integration Centre before it closed its doors in 2013. He run an immigration clinic as an immigration advisor under the auspices of Dublin City Centre Citizens information Service for 6 years. Before joining MRCI, Hilary worked as an Information Officer at South Dublin Citizens Information Service. He holds an LLM in International Human Rights Law from National University of Ireland-Galway, BA in Development Studies from Kimmage Development Studies Centre and a Diploma in Information Provision and Advocacy Practice from TU Dublin.

Development Worker: Agri-food, Meat and Horticultural

Tian Yu Lloyd

Tian Yu Lloyd has been active in supporting the integration of migrant communities in Ireland since 2015. She is a believer that promoting a culture of mutual respect and inclusion is good for the Irish society on all levels. Tian has a MA degree in Refugee Integration from Dublin City University.

Our Board

Chairperson

Raluca Anucuta

Raluca Anucuta worked previously with MRCI as Policy Support Worker, supporting the design and implementation of MRCI’s policy work in areas such as irregular migration, integration and social inclusion, rights and protection for migrant workers who are at risk of or experiencing workplace exploitation, and trafficking for forced labour. Before joining MRCI, Raluca was involved in various projects and agencies that deal with migration and racism, including the European Network Against Racism, the Immigrant Council of Ireland, and the Irish Refugee Council. She holds a degree in law and a MPhil in Ethnic and Racial Studies from Trinity College Dublin.

Anastasia Crickley

Anastasia Crickley is Head of the Department of Applied Social Studies in NUI Maynooth. She was the Chairperson of the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism until October 2008. She is a founder member of the European Network against Racism and co-founded Pavee Point (National Travellers' Centre). She convenes the Community Sector Sub-Group of the Community Workers Cooperative. Anastasia was Personal Representative of the Chair in Office of the OSCE on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions from 2004-2008. She is also actively involved with Council of Europe and United Nations initiatives in the fields of Human Rights and Discrimination. In 2010 Anastasia was elected a member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).

Angelisa Zerpa

Angelisa specialised in employment law in Venezuela and holds an LLM in International Law from Griffith College Dublin. In Ireland, she has worked as a Project Coordinator, with New Communities Partnership’s Migrant Access Programme, managing supports to vulnerable and unemployed individuals. She was also employed on their Cultural Support Ireland Programme. Angelisa is a founding member of Venezuelan Community in Ireland (VCI) and was their chairperson for two years. She recently took up a post in the Workforce and Development department of TUSLA. She is passionate about migrant rights and has a deep understanding of the issues facing low paid migrant workers

Bernadette Daly

Bernadette Daly is a qualified solicitor who has worked in private practice for many years in both Dublin and London. She now works as in-house legal counsel for a large professional services firm. She specialises in employment law (both contentious and non-contentious) and contractual disputes. Bernadette has also done voluntary legal casework with MRCI's Workplace Rights team. She has a degree in European Studies (Law and German) from the University of Limerick and a Diploma in Employment Law from UCD.

Bill Abom

Bill Abom is an experienced community work specialist and practitioner and is Mandate Trade Union's Lead Organiser. Bill previously worked with SIPTU and with MRCI as Deputy Director with responsibility for campaigns and workplace rights. He has a Master's Degree in Development Studies from Kimmage Development Studies Centre, Dublin. Before taking up a position with MRCI in May 2006 he served three years as the Associate Director of Rural & Migrant Ministry, located in New York State, developing and coordinating programmes to support the voices, leadership and actions of migrant farm workers and their families.

Fr Bobby Gilmore SSC

Fr Bobby Gilmore was a founding member of Migrant Rights Centre Ireland and is lifelong President of the MRCI. He was ordained in 1963, and worked in the Philippines from 1964-78. From 1978-92, Bobby was Director of the Irish Emigrant Chaplaincy in Britain. He was a founding member of Cara Housing Association. He also chaired the campaign for justice for the Birmingham Six. He was a founding member of Village of Hope, Montego Bay, Jamaica, where he worked from 1992-99. In 1999 he returned to Ireland. He conducted an education program on migration for the Irish Refugee Council before establishing the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland. Bobby studied at Birbeck College, Lincoln Institute and Camden College, London, as well as De La Salle College in Manila.

Francis Njúgúna

Francis NJÚGÚNA is a Finance Officer at Sophia, a housing association that provides homes and offers a holistic person-centred model of care to support people in their journey from homelessness towards greater independence for themselves. Previously, Francis worked as a Finance Manager at MRCI (covering for Hilary) and as a Finance Assistant at the IRC. Before moving to the not-for profit sector, Francis worked in various finance roles in industry and practice. He graduated with a BA (Hons) Accounting & Finance and recently completed a Higher Diploma in Financial Technology (Fintech) from the National College of Ireland. Francis is a motivated and results driven accountant with experience in financial accounting and financial administration. He is Skilled in preparing annual budgets, Cash Flow projections and production of management and yearly accounts. He is a problem solver and has a high level of integrity and dependability.

Lucy Peprah

Lucy Peprah joined the board of MRCI in 2012. Her background is in Adult and Community Education, using Theatre Arts as a tool for social change. She has been employed by South Dublin County Partnership since 2005 as an Integration Worker – Community Development. Her work includes supporting migrants to actively participate in Irish society through advocacy, information dissemination, training, policy change and development. Lucy has been a member of the Ethnic Minority Women’s Forum since 2003 and the Migrant Women’s Council since 2012. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Degree in English Language and Theatre Arts from the University of Ghana, a Certificate in Community Work in a Changing Ireland from NUI Maynooth, and a Certificate in Conflict Management, along with other postgraduate qualifications in Project Management, Business Administration and Adult Education. Lucy is also a qualified trainer in the area of Equality, Diversity and Combating Racism.

Michael O'Sullivan

Michael O'Sullivan works for the Columban Missionaries as coordinator of their development education programme, and on their justice and peace team. He is also a member of the Columban Development Committee (Ireland), which works with Columbans in Asia and Latin America to help build their capacity to achieve good quality development work with the communities in which they live. Michael is a founder member and former Chairperson of the Debt and Development Coalition, and also a founder member of the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland. He was also a member of the National Committee for Development Education from its inception until it was incorporated directly into the work of the Irish Aid programme. Michael is a member of MRCI's Finance Subcommittee.

Pat Raleigh

Pat Raleigh is a Columban Missionary, and a founding member of the MRCI. He worked in the Philippines for eleven years and in Pakistan for eleven years. Pat obtained a Masters Degree in the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, California. Since his return to Ireland in 1994 he has been very much involved in JPIC work for the Columbans and is still the JPIC Co-ordinator for the Columbans in Ireland. He was also the Co-ordinator of the Jubilee Debt Campaign calling for the cancellation of Third World Debt. He is the Regional Education Co-ordinator and the Regional Vice-Director for the Columbans in Ireland. He is currently the Chairperson of the MRCI Finance Sub-Committee.