21 Dec 2016, 13:13
At its meeting on 13 December 2016, the Standing Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands agreed to request the Governing Authority of the National University of Ireland, Galway to reconsider its decision that future Presidents of the University will not be required to be fluent in Irish.
The Committee agreed to write to Ms Catherine Mc Guinness, Chairperson of the Governing Authority, and Dr James Browne, the current President of the University, to inform them of this request.
Chairperson of the Committee Catherine Connolly TD: “The Committee agreed that the decision of the Governing Authority conflicted with the special connection that exists between the University and the Irish language and the University's special responsibility for protecting and promoting the Irish language. The Committee agreed that it is vitally important that any future President of the University would be fluent in Irish, especially given that the University is located in Galway, the only city in Ireland that has attained bilingual status. This status gives a special standing both to the city and to the University.”
ENDS
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