Scottish Government Pledges to Support "Anyone Who Wants to Speak Gaelic"

"Gaelic is vital to Scotland's future and a forum launched yesterday heard that the Scottish Government will ensure that those who want to learn and speak the language are given the support they need. John Swinney, the Deputy First Minister, was speaking at the first meeting of a new Strategic Leadership Forum to discuss growth and development of Gaelic education, along with 50 directors of education from 19 local authorities, other senior leaders from across Scotland and representatives from Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Education Scotland." .....“The Scottish Government’s aim is to see an increase in the number of people speaking, learning and using Gaelic and today’s Strategic Leadership Forum will make an important contribution to this aim,” said Swinney." - The National

In 2014, when Deputy First Minister Swinney took his post, he dedicated his public service to the future of Gaelic in Scotland:  “As a long-serving minister in the Scottish Government, but one who has only recently assumed responsibility for the Gaelic language, I want to make clear to you my determination to work with all who have an interest in nurturing the language, with the structures and gains we have made, to pursue the aim of increasing the numbers learning, speaking and using Gaelic. That is the Government's clear aim and priority and we must use all the gains of the last decades to make further progress with this aim.  The reason for this commitment is quite simple. Gaelic belongs in Scotland.  It has been spoken in this country for well over 1000 years and I believe these places a duty and a responsibility on us as custodians of this heritage.”

The government's declaration comes in an era when Scots Gaelic is making a steady comeback. In 2015 data issued by “National Records Scotland” showed a sharp rise in young people with Gaelic Language skills.  Drawing on 2011 census data, the trend is an increase in the number of children speaking Gaelic.  This is good news for the future of the Celtic tongue of Scotland.  A spokesman for the Gaelic board, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, added at the time: “It is very encouraging that the decline previously seen has almost stabilized and that there has been growth in Gaelic speakers between the age of three to 19. This is evidence of the successes of Gaelic-medium education.”

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