“Use Your Gaelic”, Visitors to Parliament Encouraged

15.05.2013

The Scottish Parliament has a push on the use of its Gaelic services, encouraging visitors, MSPs and staff to take advantage of the many opportunities to use and learn about the language.

The drive is part of the Parliament’s on-going commitment to give Gaelic equal status as English.

The Scottish Parliament’s Gaelic Development Officer, Dr Alasdair MacCaluim, said:

"As Gaelic is an integral part of Scotland's heritage, we’d like to encourage all speakers of the language to use your Gaelic in your Parliament.

Visitors and staff that are non-Gaelic speakers are also being encouraged to use the opportunity to learn more about this rich heritage language.”

Background

The initiative coincides with the launch of the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body’s (SCPB) five-year Gaelic Language Plan for 2013-2018, which sets out how Gaelic will be used in the Parliament's operations and communications with the public, MSPs and staff.

The Plan has been prepared in accordance with statutory criteria set out in The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005.

The SPCB asked the public for its views on the proposals for the plan last year:

• 56 submissions were received, an increase of 65 per cent on the previous consultation. 34 consultation responses were received on the first plan in 2007;
• 45 per cent of responses were from people and organisations out with traditional Gaelic-speaking areas;
• 47 responses agreed with the overall direction of the plan, 8 disagreed and one did not state either way;
• 29 responses were in Gaelic, 27 were in English.