Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dinny McGinley TD, has announced that Mr. Rónán Ó Domhnaill has been nominated by the Government to be appointed by the President to the position of An Coimisinéir Teanga. The appointment will be made subject to resolutions being passed by Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann.
Mr. Ó Domhnaill has been a political correspondent with Nuacht RTÉ/TG4 for the past seven years. A graduate of the National University of Ireland, Galway, he comes from an Cheathrú Rua in the Connemara Gaeltacht.
Mr. Ó Domhnaill will succeed Mr. Seán Ó Cuirreáin who will be resigning from his post on 23 February 2014. Mr Ó Cuirreáin resigned his position amid claims that the Irish language is being marginalised by the system of public administration.
21 expressions of interest were received for the position of An Coimisinéir Teanga from persons with a wide range of experience and Mr. Ó Domhnaill was chosen from amongst these. An Coimisinéir Teanga is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Official Languages Act 2003. Under section 20(3) of the Act, An Coimisinéir Teanga is appointed by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Government following resolutions passed by Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann recommending the appointment.