NORTHERN IRELAND has formally appointed its first ever Irish language and Ulster-Scots commissioners.
Pól Deeds, deputy chief executive of the cross-border language body Foras na Gaeilge, has been named as the inaugural Irish Language Commissioner.
Lee Reynolds, a former DUP councillor and adviser to ex-First Minister Arlene Foster, will serve as Commissioner for the Ulster-Scots and Ulster British tradition.
The appointments were jointly approved by First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, and also include Dr Katy Radford as director of the new Office of Identity and Cultural Expression (OICE).
The three will take up their roles on 13 November for five-year terms, each earning an annual salary of £88,268.
These new roles were a key element of the New Decade, New Approach deal in 2020, which restored Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government after a three-year collapse.
Progress has been delayed for several years due to political stalemates, with Westminster eventually stepping in to legislate for the creation of the posts.
Alongside the main commissioners, five members have been named to the OICE board: Brian Dougherty, Ellen Finlay, Stephen Moore, Dr Callie Persic, and Dr Jacqueline Witherow.
Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, president of Conradh na Gaeilge, called the development “a defining watershed” for language rights, saying it ensures “a strong voice for language rights in the very heart of the state”, according to the BBC.
Caoimhe Nic Cú Uladh from An Dream Dearg said the appointments were the result of “thousands of Gaels taking to the streets over the last decade”, while Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney described the move as “a monumental step forward” for Irish speakers.
SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone welcomed the appointments as a chance to “move on from contention” and foster mutual respect between communities.
“Everyone has the right to celebrate their culture,” he said, expressing hope that cultural identity would no longer be used as “a political football.”
Under the legislation, both commissioners will be responsible for promoting their respective cultural and linguistic traditions and advising public bodies on best practices.
The Irish Language Commissioner will set standards for public services and investigate complaints when these are not met, while the Ulster-Scots Commissioner will oversee how institutions support the Ulster-Scots and Ulster British heritage.
The OICE, led by Dr Radford, will oversee research, educational programmes and funding grants across Northern Ireland.
As Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin noted, while the 2022 language legislation was “far from perfect”, these new institutions represent “a significant footstep toward a new society where the Irish language is treated with dignity and equality”.
