Galway Bay fm newsroom - A Galway West TD is pushing for new legislation to ensure the incoming NUI Galway president speaks Irish.
Eamon O'Cuiv is seeking leave to bring a bill before the Dáil tomorrow which would ensure the new president is capable of doing business in both Irish and English.
Late last year, NUIG’s governing authority decided to change the recruitment criteria for appointing a new president.
The majority of members felt the requirement was restricting the potential number of candidates for the position.
However, the decision was not unanimous with some members of Údarás na hOllscoile vehemently opposed to the move.
Galway West TD Eamon O'Cuiv says since 1929, the unversity President has been an Irish speaker.
Under present legislation passed in 2006, NUIG is required as one of its principle aims to set out in each strategic development plan its proposals of the provision of education at the college through the medium of Irish.
Deputy O'Cuiv's University College Galway Amendement Bill 2017 will be brought before the Dáil tomorrow afternoon.
He says the university's reputation as a bilingual institution must be protected.
