Committee
Education, Culture and Sport Committee, 02 May 2000
02 May 2000 · S1 · Education, Culture and Sport Committee
Item of business
Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Bill: Stage 2
Following is the simultaneous interpretation:
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Thank you. I am John MacLeod, the convener of Comann nam Pàrant, the National Gaelic Parents Association. CNP is a national representative body for parents whose children are in the Gaelic-medium education system throughout Scotland. At the beginning of the year, we submitted the petition that has led to this evidence session. Although we have a great love of the Gaelic language, we feel that education is even more important and, for that reason, we want Gaelic-medium education recognised as a system within the general education set-up, rather than as an add-on to mainstream education.
As Gaelic-medium education has been particularly successful in the past 15 years, we feel that it deserves to have the same statutory foundation within the Scottish legal system as English-medium education. It is therefore appropriate that Gaelic-medium education should be supported and enforced in the first education bill to be approved by the Scottish Parliament.
Gaelic-medium education is recognised as the most important initiative in the framework of Gaelic language development and, as such, needs to be promoted and developed. It is vital that the Scottish Parliament gives us every support through all available opportunities. With that, we suggest that the committee accepts the recommendations in our petition and changes the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Bill accordingly.
As Gaelic-medium education has been particularly successful in the past 15 years, we feel that it deserves to have the same statutory foundation within the Scottish legal system as English-medium education. It is therefore appropriate that Gaelic-medium education should be supported and enforced in the first education bill to be approved by the Scottish Parliament.
Gaelic-medium education is recognised as the most important initiative in the framework of Gaelic language development and, as such, needs to be promoted and developed. It is vital that the Scottish Parliament gives us every support through all available opportunities. With that, we suggest that the committee accepts the recommendations in our petition and changes the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Bill accordingly.
In the same item of business
The Convener:
Lab
We begin with a presentation by representatives supporting Gaelic-medium education. I will ask the three witnesses to introduce themselves, to explain whom t...
John MacLeod (Comann nam Pàrant (Nàiseanta)):
Mòran taing. Is mise Iain MacLeòid agus tha mi na mo chathraiche air Comann nam Pàrant (Nàiseanta). Ma chanas mi facal an toiseach mu dheidhinn Comann nam Pà...
The Convener:
Lab
I am sorry. Can I just stop you for a moment. I have been told that members should be on channel 2 instead of channel 3. Please change your gadgets accordingly.
Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab):
Lab
I knew that my Gaelic was bad, but I did not realise that my English was that bad as well.
The Convener:
Lab
I am sorry to have interrupted you, Mr MacLeod. Please carry on.
John MacLeod:
Tapa leibh. Is mise Iain MacLeòid. Tha mi na mo chathraiche air Comann nam Pàrant (Nàiseanta) agus 's e buidheann nàiseanta tha sin a tha a' riochdachadh phà...
Following is the simultaneous interpretation:
Thank you. I am John MacLeod, the convener of Comann nam Pàrant, the National Gaelic Parents Association. CNP is a national representative body for parents w...
Allan Campbell (Comunn na Gàidhlig):
Tapa leat, Iain. Is mise Ailean Caimbeul agus tha mi na mo cheannard air Comunn na Gàidhlig, buidheann leasachaidh nàiseanta na Gàidhlig ann an Alba. Tha sin...
The Convener:
Lab
I am sorry, I will have to stop you again. We are not receiving any simultaneous interpretation. Interruption. Thank you. Can you begin again, please.
Allan Campbell:
Feuchaidh mi a rithist. Bheil sibh ga mo chluinntinn a-nis? Tha e mòr leam a' ràdh gur ann a dh'aon ghnothaich a bhathas a' cur clos orm.
The Convener:
Lab
I am sorry. We seem to be having some problems this morning. Interruption. I apologise for the delay. I will give you longer than 10 minutes, so do not worry...
Allan Campbell:
Tapa leibh. Is mise Ailean Caimbeul, ceannard Chomunn na Gàidhlig, buidheann leasachaidh nàiseanta na Gàidhlig. Tha sinne mar bhuidheann air a bhith a' tagra...
Following is the simultaneous interpretation:
Thank you. My name is Allan Campbell and I am the chief executive of Comunn na Gàidhlig, which is a Gaelic national development organisation. The organisatio...
Fionnlagh MacLeod (Comhairle Nan Sgoiltean Araich):
Is mise Fionnlagh MacLeòid. Tha mi ag obair aig Comhairle nan Sgoiltean Araich. Tha a' bhuidheann mar bhuidheann nàiseanta ag obair air feadh Alba gu lèir. T...
Following is the simultaneous interpretation:
I am Fionnlagh MacLeod. I work with Comhairle Nan Sgoiltean Araich, the Gaelic Playgroups Association. We are a national organisation, working throughout Sco...
The Convener:
Lab
Thank you. I open the floor to questions from members of the committee. I remind members that the witnesses have graciously agreed to take questions in Engli...
Mr Macintosh:
Lab
Thank you for coming. Before I start, I should declare an interest: my father is chairman of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college.I was very interested to h...
Allan Campbell:
There have been few advantages in working for the development of Gaelic over the past 15 to 20 years, principally because the number of Gaelic speakers in Sc...
Following is the simultaneous interpretation:
I spoke English almost without thinking there. It shows how the world we live in has affected me that I spoke English quite naturally. What have we learned f...
Fionnlagh MacLeod:
Dh'fhaighnich sibh dè a' bhuannachd a thàinig às a' Chuimrigh. Saoilidh mi gur e a' bhuannachd is motha a thàinig às a' Chuimrigh gu bheil foghlam na bhunait...
Following is the simultaneous interpretation:
You asked what we have learned from the Welsh situation. The greatest advantage is that language is fundamental. Not only do they have the opportunity to lea...
John MacLeod:
Tha mi a' smaoineachadh ann a bhith a' dèanamh coimeis eadar Alba agus a' Chuimrigh gu bheil na trì cinn a tha seo ag èirigh an còmhnaidh. 'S e sin còirichea...
Following is the simultaneous interpretation:
In comparing Scotland to Wales, we can consider three headings: rights, equality and continuity. Wales has all those things and we do not. It is very importa...
Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
A Mhairi, tha mi glè thoilichte gu bheil na comunnan aig a bheil uidh anns a Ghàidhlig còmhla riunn an diugh. Feumaidh mi bruidhinn anns a' Bheurla, tha eaga...
Following is the simultaneous interpretation:
SNP
Mary, I am very pleased that people from the Gaelic organisations are with us today. Unfortunately I must pose my questions in English.
The member continued in English.
SNP
Although unfortunately I must pose my questions in English, I am sure that that will not inhibit Allan and his colleagues from continuing to reply in Gaelic,...
Allan Campbell:
Chan eil mi smaoineachadh gun urrainn sin a bhith oir tha na buidhnean a tha strì airson na Gàidhlig a' strì airson, mar a bha mi a' ràdh na bu tràithe, airs...
Following is the simultaneous interpretation:
I do not think that that would be possible. The organisations that are striving for Gaelic are working hard to make progress at every level for the language,...
Michael Russell:
SNP
There is an argument that Gaelic-medium education will be dealt with by a bill proposing secure status for Gaelic and that, therefore, there should be no dem...
Allan Campbell:
Tha mi smaoineachadh gum biodh e ceart agus iomchaidh gum biodh iomradh air foghlam ann am bile a thaobh inbhe thèarainte ach chan eil mi smaoineachadh gu le...