Interpreting The Official Languages Acts

Introduction

The Official Languages Act 2003 (the "OLA") was signed into law on 14 July 2003 and was amended by the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021 (the "2021 Act") (together with the OLA, the "Acts"). The primary objective of the Acts is to promote the use of the Irish language for official purposes in the State and provide for the use of the official languages, namely Irish and English, in communicating and providing services to the public and in carrying out the work of a "public body".

What is a "Public Body"?

There are a wide range of bodies specified as "public bodies" by the OLA. Public bodies for this purpose include Government departments, local authorities, universities, agencies, boards and other state and semi-state entities.¹ The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs can extend the list of public bodies to bodies with defined characteristics, including to entities that are performing roles which were previously vested in a