Bòrd na Gàidhlig a’ cur fàilte air Taic an Riaghaltais

Tha Bòrd na Gàidhlig, a’phrìomh bhuidheann poblach le uallach airson leasachadh na Gàidhlig, air fàilte a chur air dà naidheachd bho Riaghaltas na h-Alba, a’ cur tuilleadh taic ris a’ chànan.
A’ bruidheann aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig anns an Eilean Sgitheanach an diugh (Diluain, Lùnastal 3) dhearbh a’ Phrìomh Mhinistear Ailig Salmond gun deach £800,000 a bharrachd a chomharrachadh airson foghlam Gàidhlig a’ toirt na tha an Riaghaltas a’ cosg bho Stòras Gàidhlig nan Sgoiltean gu £2.15m am bliadhna.
Chaidh an Stòras fhoillseachadh leis a’ Phrìomh Mhinistear aig a’ Mhòd Rìoghail Nàiseanta an uiridh. Thuirt Art MacCarmaig, Cathraiche Bhòrd na Gàidhlig: “Tha sinn a’ cur fàilte air an impidh a tha a’ sìor nochdadh bhon Riaghaltas an Alba mu choinneimh an taic dhan Ghàidhlig a’ stèidheachadh slighe romhainn a bhios beothail, tèarainte agus maireannach, agus tha Bòrd na Gàidhlig fìor-dheònach a bhith ag obair còmhla ris an Riaghaltas chum sin a bhuinnig. Tha an t-airgead calpa a bharrachd airson sgoiltean Gàidhlig a’ toirt cothrom do dh’ùghdarrasan ionadail ceum air adhart a ghabhail le pròiseactan cudromach a chuidicheas le bhith a’ cur ri àireamhan luchd-bruidhne na Gàidhlig, leithid sgoiltean Gàidhlig ann am Portrìgh agus anns a’ Ghearasdan. Bu chòir seo cuideachd pàrantan anns a h-uile sgìre a mhisneachadh son sgoiltean Gàidhlig iarraidh nan coimhearsnachdan fhèin.”
Tha Bòrd na Gàidhlig cuideachd air fàilte a chur air an taic a tha an Riaghaltas a’ nochdadh airson barrachd oidhirp a dhèanamh gus daoine a thàladh gu bhith ag ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig. A’ bruidheann ann an Steòrnabhagh feasgar, thuirt Ministear na Gàidhlig Micheal Russell agus Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson Foghlam Fiona Hyslop gu robh feum air adhartas anns a’ bhad feuch an gabhabh ginealach ùr de luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig a chothromachadh agus a leasachadh. Thuirt iad gum biodh an Riaghaltas agus Bòrd na Gàidhlig ag obair gu math dlùth còmhla thar nan trì mìosan romhainn airson slighe a chomharrachadh a bheireadh amasan gu math adhartach gu ìre. Thuirt Mghr Russell gu robh e an dùil molaidhean fhoillseachadh ro dheireadh na bliadhna a’ mìneachadh ceumanan bunasach a bhiodh a’ toirt gu ìre àrdachadh ann an luchd-cleachdaidh agus luchd labhairt na Gàidhlig.




Thuirt Mghr MacCarmaig: “Mar phrìomh bhuidhinn comhairleachaidh an Riaghaltais tha am Bòrd a’ cur fàilte air na bh’aig an dà Mhinistear ri ràdh mun taic a tha iad airson a chumail ri oidhirpean barrachd dhaoine a thàladh gu ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig. Tha am Bòrd gu math mothachail gun fheum sinn a bhith ag amas ar dòighean obrach agus oidhirpean gu math innleachdach airson cothroman ionnsachaidh a leasachadh. Bidh sinn a’ cur ris an obair a tha seo gu dealasachach agus thig sinn air adhart le molaidhean bunasach an co-bhuinn ris an Riaghaltas. ’S e cothrom a tha seo cur gu làidir ris a’ Phlana Nàiseanta a th’againn an dràsta, le taic an Riaghaltais, agus toiseach-tòiseachadh a dhèanamh air slighe chun ath Phlana.
Tha sinn air ar mòr-mhisneachadh gu bheil Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit agus am Ministear le chèile ’gar piobrachadh gu bhith a’ dol an-sàs ann an oidhirpean crìonadh na Gàidhlig a thilleadh, agus gu bheil iad fhèin mothachail nach eil cus ùine again seo a dhèanamh. Tha barrachd stòrais againn ’nar sgioba-obrach an dràsta tron Bhuidhean Stiùiridh Eadar-amail agus tha na buill mar tha air slighe air adhart a chomharrachadh gus piseach a thoirt air cùisean. An luib an ath-leasachaidh air ar bun-structair nì sinn cinnteach gun tèid buannachd buinnig às na cothroman a tha a’ fusgladh romhainn. Bidh sinn ag obair còmhla ris an Riaghaltas ach am bi sinn cinnteach gum bi am Ministear ann an suidheachadh clàr-obrach le amasan gu math mionaideach agus dùbhlannach fhoillseachadh nas fhaide air adhart dhen bhliadhna, agus bidh cinn-uidhe gu math cinnteach romhainn.”


Bòrd na Gàidhlig welcomes Scottish Government
Commitment to Gaelic

Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the principal public agency with responsibility for developing Gaelic, has welcomed two major announcements by the Scottish Government.
Speaking at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in Skye today (Monday, August 3) First Minister Alex Salmond confirmed that an extra £800,000 for Gaelic education has been committed, bringing Scottish Government investment in the Gaelic Schools Fund to £2.15m this year.
The First Minister launched the Gaelic Schools Capital Fund in October last year, ahead of the Royal National Mod. Arthur Cormack, Bòrd na Gàidhlig Chair said: “I welcome the First Minister’s assertion of the continuing impetus in the Scottish Government’s commitment to ensuring a vibrant, sustainable and prominent future for Gaelic in Scotland and Bòrd na Gàidhlig is committed to working with the Government to achieve this. The additional capital money for Gaelic schools should offer local authorities the opportunity to get on with important projects that will help increase the number of Gaelic speakers, such as the establishment of standalone Gaelic schools in Fort William and Portree. It should give parents in all areas the confidence to ask for a Gaelic school in their community.”
Mr Cormack also welcomed the Government’s support for a re-focusing of effort to attract more people to learning Gaelic. Speaking in Stornoway earlier today, Minister for Gaelic Michael Russell and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop said immediate action is necessary to create a new generation of Gaelic speakers. Ms Hyslop and Mr Russell said that the Scottish Government and Bòrd na Gàidhlig will work closely over the next three months to identify the critical steps required to deliver such a challenging outcome. By the end of this year Mr Russell will publish an action plan of radical steps which will deliver an increase in Gaelic speakers and users.
Mr Cormack said: “As principal advisers to the Scottish Government on Gaelic matters, Bòrd na Gàidhlig welcomes the announcement from Michael Russell and Fiona Hyslop today that the Scottish Government will work with us to attract more people to learning Gaelic. Bòrd na Gàidhlig acknowledges the need for decisive action and the opportunity to refocus our efforts on Gaelic learning and put forward fresh proposals, with the clear support of the Scottish Government, is a welcome step in ensuring the fullest possible delivery of the current National Plan, and in laying the groundwork for the next one.

It is hugely encouraging that the Cabinet Secretary and the Minister have both expressed a clear desire to ensure urgent action is taken to reverse the decline in numbers of Gaelic speakers, and have acknowledged that time is not on our side. The Interim Senior Support Team at the Bòrd has increased our capacity and is already making progress in terms of identifying where adjustments need to be made. Along with our restructuring, this will ensure that all the resources at our disposal will achieve the best possible outcomes for Gaelic. We will work closely with the Scottish Government to ensure that an action plan can be published by the Minister later this year that will contain ambitious proposals and clear outcomes.”