Bòrd na Gàidhlig /borst na ga:lIk/ is the Scottish government
appointed agency with responsibility for Scottish Gaelic.
Its primary aims are
- to increase the number of Gaelic speakers,
- to strengthen Gaelic as a language of community and home,
- to promote Gaelic in Scotland's cultural life, and
- to develop the use of Gaelic in every aspect of Scottish life.
Its duties are
- to develop a strategic National Gaelic Plan,
- to work with organisations with an interest in the language, and
- to consult on a strategy for Gaelic-medium education.
The Bòrd was set up in April 2003 after years of official neglect and
outright hostility towards the language, and its work is keenly
anticipated by the Gaels.
The first cathraiche (chair-person) of the 8 member Bòrd is
Donnchadh MacFhearghais (from Islay), rector of Plockton
High School, and former convener of Comunn Luchd-Ionnsachaidh, Comunn
na Gàidhlig, and director of the steering committee for BBC Gaelic
programming.
Following a consultation period (October 2003 – January 2004), during
which many respondents expressed their concern that any advice Bòrd
gives would be likely to be ignored by largely hostile authorities, it
was announced in September 2004 that the Bòrd was to be strengthened
in several areas:
- the Bòrd's guidance to local authorities on Gaelic medium education will be statutory
- it can advise all public, private and voluntary bodies
- it will decide on how to focus language development and will determine which organisations should produce language plans.
The Gaelic bill will be debated by the Scottish Parliament, and is
expected to become law by the summer of 2005.
See also
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