The new President of the University of Galway has said he is learning Irish, following criticism that the bilingual institution had appointed someone who was not fluent in the language.
David J Burn was named as the university’s new head during the summer.
He started his new role this week.
In a video message to staff today, Prof Burn said that while he was not proficient in the language, he intended to learn it.
“Nà cainteoir Gaeilge lÃofa mé, ach tá mé ag foghlaim” he said.
Sinn Féin had criticised the decision to appoint someone, “with no Irish…to the country’s only bilingual university” and had sought a meeting with the college’s governing authority to discuss the status of the language.
A statutory obligation on the university to ensure the office holder was fluent in Irish ended in 2017.
In his message to staff, Prof Burn said he hoped to ensure the institution was known globally for its work in creativity, culture, society and human rights.
He also committed to close academic and professional service pay gaps; increase the number of female professors to the highest percentage among Irish universities, and to emphasise equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives.