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Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, President of Conradh na Gaeilge, says his organisation argued against political oversight of the commissioner’s recommendations, but that he expects the DUP to follow their words with actions when recommendations are put on the deputy First Minister’s desk. Incoming Irish commissioner Pol Deeds will have the ability to advise public bodies on “standards of best practice” for the language, which “may” be approved by the first and deputy first ministers acting jointly. Stormont’s joint leaders can also provide guidance to the Gaelic tsar. The DUP has responded to criticism from unionist rivals over the appointment of the commissioner by pointing out the “joint oversight between First Minister and deputy First Minister”. Speaking to the BBC on Wednesday, Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin said his organisation had “argued strongly against” political oversight of the new role. “We think that there's a precedent here. A number of international language commissioners in other jurisdictions operate semi-independently from the political structures. I think there was an even stronger case here because of, I suppose, a sorry record of political interference on language issues. “We were seeing that right up until very recently, and we had argued that that wouldn't be the case. We think that serves community relations no purpose here. We think that it serves the issue of the language, more importantly, no good either to be located and embedded within Stormont. “However, that's that's the nature of it. And I think there will be tests here, particularly for the DUP in the coming weeks and months, around their sincerity. “They have consented to the establishment of this office. We now need to see them following their words with actions, in terms of the language standards that will be on their desk in front of the deputy First Minister in the time ahead”, the Conradh na Gaeilge president said. In a statement on Tuesday, Pól Deeds said he will “respond in full” to statements made about himself and about the role of the Irish language Commissioner when he takes up the post next month.
