Hansard

The process is important. Over many years, there has been a question about how parents pursue the matter if the community perhaps wants to see a Gaelic unit, but the local authority does not. It is a step forward that we have a bill that establishes a process, and evidence—in many cases, I think that the evidence would be incontrovertible—of the demand that exists for Gaelic-medium education in the community.

As I mentioned, I am more than happy to meet the member to talk about any idea that she may have for improvements to the bill.

Tha sinn mothachail gu bheil duilgheadasan ann agus gu bheil mòran ri dhèanamh gus seasmhachd a thoirt don Ghàidhlig san àm ri teachd. Mar a bha Mìcheal Russell ag ràdh, chan eil e math gu leòr gu bheil a’ Ghàidhlig ann, feumaidh a’ Ghàidhlig a bhith air a cleachdadh. Feumaidh siostam foghlaim sam bith luchd-teagaisg agus goireasan cho math ’s a ghabhas airson gun soirbhich leis. Tha sinn ro mhothachail gu bheil feum againn air barrachd luchd-teagaisg ann am foghlam Gàidhlig. Tha seo fhathast na dhùbhlan romhainn mus tig leudachadh, agus ann an cuid de dh’àiteachan airson an suidheachadh a ghlèidheadh mar a tha e an-dràsta.

Tha e riatanach gum faigh neach sam bith a tha airson teagasg ann am foghlam Gàidhlig cothrom na fèinne seo a dhèanamh agus mar sin feumaidh sinn na slighean trèanaidh a leudachadh. ’S ann air an adhbhar seo a tha dealas againn cumail oirnn ag obrachadh cuide ri Bòrd na Gàidhlig, oilthighean, ùghdarrasan ionadail agus buidhnean eile gus taic agus goireasan a thoirt do chothroman teagaisg aig gach ìre, airson na feuman uile a choileanadh.

Feumaidh sinn cuideachd obrachadh cuide ri coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig air feadh Alba, a’ dèanamh cinnteach gum bi a’ Ghàidhlig air a cleachdadh ann am beatha làitheil. Chunnaic mi nam choimhearsnachd fhèin luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig nach bruidhneadh sa Ghàidhlig ri clann a tha ag ionnsachadh a’ chànan. Tha e cudthromach gum faigh sinn a-mach carson a tha seo a’ tachairt.

Chithear Gàidhlig an-diugh sa h-uile àite, bho fhoghlam Gàidhlig nar sgoiltean agus soidhnichean ann an stèiseanan-rèile, gu na duaisean brìgheil aig FilmG. Tha gnìomhachas soirbheachail againn a-nis sna meadhanan Gàidhlig.

Airson luchd-labhairt òg na Gàidhlig,’s e saoghal eadar-dhealaichte a th’ ann. Ged a tha dùbhlain fhathast romhainn, tha sinn air tòrr a dhèanamh sna deich bliadhna a dh’fhalbh, agus leanaidh seo sna bliadhnaichean ri tighinn. Tha tòrr ann ri dhèanamh airson na Gàidhlig, mar a thuirt tòrr dhaoine, ach tha cothrom ann an-diugh airson meal a naidheachd a chur air a h-uile duine a bha a’ strì agus a tha fhathast a’ strì airson a’ chànain againn. Tapadh leibh.

Following is the simultaneous interpretation.

We are aware that there are difficulties, and that there is much still to be done to secure the future of Gaelic. As Mike Russell said, it is not good enough that Gaelic is still here—it must be used. In any education system, there must be the best teaching staff and resources in order to help it to succeed. We are all too aware of the necessity to grow teacher numbers in Gaelic education. That remains a hurdle to expansion and, in some cases, to the status quo.

It is essential that those who want to teach in Gaelic education are afforded the opportunities to do so. Therefore, we must increase the routes into training. We are committed to continuing our work with the board, universities, local authorities and others to ensure that opportunities into education, at all levels, are supported and resourced to meet the needs of all those involved.

We need to work with Gaelic communities across Scotland to ensure that the language is used in everyday life. I have witnessed in my own community Gaelic speakers refusing to speak in Gaelic to children who are learning the language. We must work at getting to the root of why that happens.

We can celebrate Gaelic everywhere, from increasing the learning of Gaelic in schools and signage in railway stations to the vibrant FilmG awards. We have a thriving Gaelic media industry. For young Gaelic speakers, it is a different world.

Gaelic has its challenges, but we have moved on in the past 10 years. As members have said, there is a lot still to be done, but the debate is an opportunity to congratulate everyone who has striven for the success of the language.