At a ceremony in Áras an Uachtaráin, President Higgins appointed Mr. Séamas Ó Concheanainn as the new Coimisinéir Teanga.
The role of Coimisinéir Teanga oversees public complaints and observations about the use of Irish by official agencies and State bodies.
In a statement, President Higgins said:
“May I offer my very best wishes to Séamas Ó Concheanainn as he commences his term as Coimisinéir Teanga.
The appointment of the Coimisinéir Teanga is an important occasion, being as it is the foremost office in the State with regard to vindicating the right of the public to engage with public bodies and access State services through our native language.
It is heartening to see the deep engagement which so many people across the country, from all backgrounds and cultures, and indeed amongst all ages, now have with the language. In that context, it is more vital than ever that they are empowered to carry out their interactions with the State through the Irish language as part of an authentic usage of the language in their day-to-day lives.
In this context, the role of the Coimisinéir Teanga is of central importance, and it is to be welcomed that the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021 has significantly enhanced the language rights of the public, as well as bringing new responsibilities to the way in which public bodies communicate with the public.
Séamas Ó Concheanainn brings immense experience to this important work and will continue the strong leadership which has been provided by the role of Coimisinéir Teanga since its establishment.
May I also take this opportunity to publicly thank Séamas’ immediate predecessor, Rónán Ó Domhnaill, for the significant contribution which he made to the Irish language during his own term as Coimisinéir.”
