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Plenary, 29 Jan 2009

29 Jan 2009 · S3 · Plenary

Item of business

Gaelic Language Plan

Munro, John Farquhar LD Ross, Skye and Inverness West Watch on SPTV

Just a slight distraction, Presiding Officer. Thank you.

The Gaelic plans that have been produced are welcome and represent a great stride forward from the situation many years ago, when nothing was happening. However, there is no use in having Gaelic plans if they are not implemented. We must ensure that whatever plans are presented, whether by councils, public bodies or the Scottish Executive, progress is made on implementing them.

I spoke to Pauline McNeill as we came up the stairs. She said that she was looking forward to the debate, and, like others, she talked about how, although there were large numbers of Gaelic speakers, suppression of the Gaelic over the years led to a decline in their numbers. That experience was common throughout the Gaelic-speaking world. When I went to school, everybody spoke Gaelic and every house had Gaelic, so there was no problem. However, there were different factions, although that is not the situation today. We must be careful to accommodate all shades of political opinion. It is no use saying that everything must be in Gaelic.

Dave Thompson referred to the problem that we had down in Sleat, where there was a beautiful, harmonious community and where we have the flagship of the Gaelic world—Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college. There was almost civil war in the wee local school when, because most of the pupils spoke Gaelic, about seven English families wanted to make the school a completely Gaelic-medium school. That was frowned upon. There was terrible strife about that, but it has been resolved. Through good negotiations and a bit of diplomacy, they now have a very harmonious school.

I was pleased to hear that Rob Gibson attended the Celtic Connections ceilidh over in Glasgow to hear the music and songs of the Melbost bard, who is a famous gentleman in the Gaelic tradition. Peter Peacock said that we cannot fail to be moved or impressed if we move within such circles and attend a ceilidh or a fèis. I know that the minister has attended a number of such events. I think that we met at the opening of the Mod up in Fort William, which was a spectacular event. Such events let us experience the ambience and good will that prevails wherever the Gaelic language and Gaelic music are promoted.

Ken Macintosh pointed out, with reference to Gaelic education, that it has been well established that bilingual education produces a better end product. It has been established beyond doubt that those who are taught bilingually have much higher educational achievements. We are proud of that and would like everybody to share in it—why not?

Peter Peacock also mentioned the Gaelic college of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, down in Sleat, which started 30 years ago. There used to be nothing there but a small, ruined steading. One of the local lairds came up with the idea that we should have a Gaelic college there, but the people he mentioned it to thought that the man was insane and should be locked up. However, he stuck to his guns, the college survived and we have a magnificent facility on the coast that has brought a vibrancy to, and changed the culture of, the peninsula of Sleat, which was almost a dying community.

Anyway, we are here to discuss the Gaelic language plan. I do not think that anyone dissents from what is in the plan. We all look forward with enthusiasm to the suggestions in the plan being implemented. Public agencies and local authorities have plans that are similar to the Scottish Government's plan, and we must ensure that they do not just gather dust on a shelf but are worked on and implemented so that they have an end result.

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Plenary, 29 Jan 2009

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