Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The original provision stated that it shall be the duty of the Seanad of the National University of Ireland when making an appointment to any office or situation in the college to appoint to such office or situation a person competent to discharge the duties thereof through the medium of the Irish language provided a person so competent and also suitable in other respects is to be found among the persons who are candidates or otherwise available for such opportunities. As the Deputy said, that referred to any office or situation. Also, there was no obligation that everyone should have Irish. Where there were two equal candidates, the obligation in the Act was that the candidate with Irish should be selected. That was the provision that was changed by the 2006 Act.

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