Hansard

’S ann tro ghealladh Bile nan Cànan Albannach ùr a thoirt air adhart a thòisich am pròiseas pàrlamaid seo. Chaidh a chuir an cèill gu follaiseach gur e ar n-amas a bhith a’ leantainn nan ceumannan leis an dèigheadh àm ri teachd nas tèarainte a chruthachadh do Ghàidhlig agus Albais. Tha sinn air deagh adhartas a choisinn a dh’ionnsaigh a’ gheallaidh sin.

Tha sinn fìor mhothachail nach e seo eacarsaich a shuathas a-mhàin ri riaghladh nan cànan—tha sinn airson ceumannan a ghabhail a bheir buaidh air cleachdadh nan cànan ann an dachaighean, a bhios gan neartachadh sa choimhearsnachd agus san àite-obrach.

Chaidh am bile seo a dheasbad aig iomadach ìre eadar-dhealaichte. Nam measg, na h-ìrean deasbad coimhearsnachd; co-chomhairle fhoirmeil; leasachadh poileasaidh; agus an sgrùdadh is atharrachadh a rinn a’ Phàrlamaid seo. Tha am bile air a bhith air a neartachadh aig gach ìre air sgàth nan deasbadan seo.

’S e geallaidhean soilleir agus àrd-amasach a bha air cùlaibh a’ bhile seo. Le bhith ag obair às leth Gàidhlig agus Albais tha sinn an-còmhnaidh a’ togail air agus a’ cur ris na gnìomhan a chaidh a chur an sàs le daoine romhainn. Feumar a bhith ag aithneachadh a’ bhile seo agus ceumannan eile mar phàirt riatanach den oidhirp a bhith a’ càradh a’ chroin a dh’fhulaing na cànain ann an linntean nas tràithe. ’S e seo a’ chiad uair a chaidh Albais a chomharrachadh ann an reachdas.

Sa mhìos mu dheireadh tha mi air tadhal air a’ cheathramh sgoil Ghàidhlig a tha san amharc do Ghlaschu agus an sgoil Ghàidhlig a tha a’ sìor fhàs ann an Inbhir Nis. Tha mi air a bhith an sàs ann an còmhraidhean mun thaic a bheir Gàidhlig don eaconamaidh ann an sgìrean cugallach. Chìthear comharran adhartais agus, leis a’ bhile seo, nì sinn cinnteach gun lean an t-adhartas sin.

?Tha sinn air èisteachd. Tha sinn air gabhail ri beachdan bhon choimhearsnachd. Tha deasbadan mun bhile seo air nochdadh thairis air na coinneamhan agam le luchd-ùidhe coimhearsnachd agus le measgachadh de bhuidhnean Gàidhlig agus Albais. Tha sinn air buannachd fhaighinn bho bhith a’ còmhradh ri Buill-Phàrlamaid agus air fàilte a chuir ri molaidhean nam Ball-Pàrlamaid. Rim bheachd-sa, tha bile pàrlamaid againn a tha a' riochdachadh luchd-ùidhe an t-seòmair seo uile gu lèir.

?Tha sinn mothachail de thoraidhean a’ chunntais-shluaigh mu dheireadh. ’S iad seo adhbhar airson dòchais, misneachd agus dùbhlain. Mar às àbhaist, le Gàidhlig agus Albais, tha an t-uamhas obrach romhainn agus tha am bile seo a’ toirt dhuinn an comas agus na dòighean anns an tèid adhartas a bharrachd a choisinn.

Tha cumhaichean ùra sa bhile seo aig a bheil buaidh air àitichean a tha riatanach ri leasachadh na Gàidhlig agus na h-Albais. A thaobh ionnsachadh, chaidh ceumannan a leantainn gus cothrom nas fheàrr a thoirt do dhaoine air foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig agus gus goireasan foghlaim a leasachadh do dh’Albais san t-seòmar-sgoile.

A thaobh coimhearsnachd, thèid cumhaichean a chur an sàs gus comharrachadh is taic a thoirt do sgìrean aig a bheil ceanglaichean cudromach don Ghàidhlig agus gus taic a thoirt dhaibhsan a tha a’ fuireach is ag obair sna sgìrean seo. Anns an ro-innleachd agus na bun-inbhean a tha am bile a’ cur air adhart bidh sinn a’ mìneachadh nam prìomhachasan againn agus na targaidean air am bi sinn ag amas.

Tha am bile seo a’ toirt a-steach cumhachdan gus sgìrean cànain sònraichte a chomharrachadh. ’S e miann a’ bhile gur e am pròiseas comharrachaidh rud a bheir cumhachd do choimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig agus gum bi sgìrean cànain sònraichte a’ cur taic ri ceumannan practaigeach. Mar eisimpleir, a bhith a’ toirt seachad seirbheisean tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig agus solar nas fheàrr airson foghlam Gàidhlig ris am b’ urrainn ùghdarrasan ionadail dèiligeadh mar phrìomhachas.

An lùib a’ bhile seo tha measgachadh de chumhaichean airson foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig, cumhaichean gus neartachadh mar a thèid aithris air poileasaidhean cànain, agus feadhainn a chuireas dleastanas air ministearan ro-innleachdan agus bun-inbhean a stèidheachadh. ’S iad seo cumhaichean ùra agus bidh iad ga dhèanamh nas comasaich tuilleadh adhartais a choisinn.

Thig atharrachadh às a’ bhile seo. Tha sinn air freagairt na dùbhlain aig ìre 1. Chaidh barrachd airgead a thasgadh. Tha sinn air sealltainn nach e seo dìreach bile samhlachail. Chuir sinn aithne ri prìomh dhraghan a thaobh foghlam Gàidhlig. Tha sinn air prìomhachas a thoirt do ghnìomhan coimhearsnachd agus air aontachadh gu bheil feum air targaidean àrd-amasach.

Following is the simultaneous interpretation:

This parliamentary process started with a commitment to bring forward a new Scottish Languages Bill.? The clearly stated aim was to take further steps to create a secure future for Gaelic and Scots. We have made good progress with that commitment. We are aware that the bill is not just an administrative exercise; we want the steps that we take to have an impact on language use in homes, and to strengthen its use in the community and the workplace.

The bill has gone through the stages of community discussions, formal consultation, policy development, and scrutiny and amendment by the Parliament.? The bill has been strengthened at every stage by means of those discussions.

The commitments behind the bill were clear and ambitious.? With Gaelic and Scots, we are always building on and adding to what others have done before.? We must view the bill and other steps as an essential part of reversing the neglect of earlier times. This the first time that Scots has been included in legislation.

In the past month, I have visited the planned fourth Gaelic school in Glasgow and the expanding Gaelic school in Inverness, and I have had discussions about where Gaelic can contribute to the economy in fragile areas. Those are signs of progress and, with the bill, we will ensure that progress continues.

We have listened, and we have taken in community views.? Discussions on the bill have featured across my meetings with community interests and with a range of Gaelic and Scots bodies. We have benefited from discussions with MSPs and we have welcomed proposals from MSPs. I believe that we have a bill that represents all interests in the chamber.

We are aware of the most recent census results, which give us hope, optimism and challenge. As ever with Gaelic and Scots, there is much to do, and the bill gives us the means and the levers to make further progress.

There are new provisions in the bill that will affect crucial areas of Gaelic and Scots development. In learning, steps will be taken to improve access to Gaelic-medium education and to improve resources for use in classrooms for Scots in education. In communities, provisions will be put in place to recognise and support areas with important connections to Gaelic and to support people who live and work in those areas. In the proposed strategy and standards, we will set out our priorities and the targets that we will aim for.

The bill introduces powers to designate areas of linguistic significance, or ALS. It is envisioned that Gaelic communities will be empowered through the designation process and that ALS will support practical steps such as delivery of services through the medium of Gaelic and improved provision of Gaelic education, which local authorities could prioritise. The bill includes a range of GME provisions, strengthens reporting and requires ministers to establish strategies and standards. Those are new provisions that will enable more progress.

The bill will make a difference. We have answered the challenges that were raised in stage 1: new investment has been provided; we have demonstrated that the bill is not symbolic; we have addressed key Gaelic education concerns; we have prioritised community activity; and we have agreed that ambitious targets are needed.