Irish language commissioner criticised at Stormont Executive Office committee

By Rebecca Black, Press Association

Irish language commissioner Pól Deeds has been criticised at a meeting of the Stormont Executive Office scrutiny committee over a request for correspondence.

During a meeting on Wednesday, the committee heard that his office said they would receive the information when a Freedom of Information Act request for it had been completed.

An Assembly clerk told the committee that he had not seen that answer from an arms-length body to a Stormont committee before.

DUP MLA Philip Brett said Deeds disputed something he had said at a committee meeting was an incorrect allegation, which he in turn took issue with.

He also told MLAs that Deeds’ position on being asked to provide a breakdown of his legal fees, was in “stark contrast” to the commissioner for the Ulster Scots and Ulster British Tradition, Lee Reynolds, who he said, provided a response.

“The commissioner, in my view, is now getting to the stage where he is obstructing the work of this committee,” he said.

“We have written on a number of occasions asking for this … we’ve asked him for the information, if he doesn’t want to provide it to us, we have powers that we can use, and I would just say we are now getting to the stage where we are perhaps going to have to consider that.

“I just think that this letter is completely unacceptable. If he doesn’t want to provide the information that we have requested, like the other commissioner has done, we should consider what power the committee has to legally compel him.”

Whilst other Commissioners supplied information requested by the TEO Committee, the Irish Language Commissioner took a different approach.
Following @PhillipBrett21's proposal the Committee agreed to seek advice on using Section 44A powers to compel the Commissioner. pic.twitter.com/vno5NlWgJr

— DUP (@duponline) May 6, 2026

TUV MLA Timothy Gaston backed Brett’s position to consider its powers to compel.

“I think Mr Deeds needs reminded that he’s accountable to this committee,” he said.

“We’re not accountable to him, and if we ask for information, regardless of how he interprets that, what he thinks about it, that information should be given without pushback.

However, other MLAs suggested other options.

Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín said she believes the committee should write to the First and deputy First Minister to seek clarity around the issue.

“The points that have been raised should be put in a letter, but I would like them to be clear that they’re coming from Philip and Timothy, but there are points nonetheless that need responding to,” she said.

SDLP MLA Sinead McLaughlin made a brief intervention in the discussion, claiming the committee was “like the Nolan Show”, with reference to the popular phone-in show on BBC Radio Ulster.

“I just think we’re very quick to reach for a nuclear button,” she said.

“There is a sensible proposal on the table. Just follow it through and let’s be the grown-ups.”

The committee agreed to write to the First and deputy First Minister around accountability and seeking clarity on who the commissioner is accountable to, as well as writing again to Mr Deeds for the information and seeking legal advice.