Monica McWilliams said a Bill of Rights was her top priority

The university academic said a Bill of Rights was her top priority.

The commission had been criticised in the past for a lack of teeth and the government has signalled its intention to increase its powers.

Professor McWilliams, who succeeds Professor Brice Dickson, said she was delighted to be the new commissioner.

"I have had a long-standing commitment to human rights in Northern Ireland and am looking forward to taking a Bill of Rights forward," she said.

"The main job of work here is going to be completing that work on the Bill of Rights.

"This commission should not go out of office without having presented the advice on the Bill of Rights to the Secretary of State.

"Obviously, the last time round there was political disagreement on what should be in the Bill of Rights and this time we can move the issue forward," she said.

Seven new commissioners were also appointed along with Prof McWilliams, and the government hopes this will draw a line under a turbulent time at the NIHRC.

Criticism

The commission has suffered a number of resignations and withdrawals and has been the target of widespread political criticism.

A new chief commissioner and up to 10 other members had been expected to have been appointed before May's general election.

The terms of office of Prof Dickson and three other commissioners ended at the end of February.

It is likely to take about two years for the increase in powers to happen due to the consultative and legislative process.

The other new commissioners include the DUP's Jonathan Bell and fellow councillors Geraldine Rice of Alliance and the SDLP's Eamon O'Neill. Professor of Human Rights Law at Queen's University Colin Harvey, also joins the commission.

Also appointed were equality commissioners Anne Hope and Alan Henry and former headmaster Thomas Duncan.

Brice Dickson was the first chief commissioner

DUP leader Ian Paisley said he had protested Prof McWilliam's appointment with Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday.

He accused her of anti-unionist bias and said he took the appointment as a personal insult due to a dispute he had with her in the past.

Sinn Fein's Catriona Ruane said the commission "will be judged on its commitment to deliver on the original expectations of the Good Friday Agreement".

She said her party was concerned that political appointments to the commission would hamper its work.