Highland Council is working to designate Skye and Raasay as its very first Area of Linguistic Significance (ALS) for Gaelic.
Tha Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd ag obair gus an t-Eilean Sgitheanach agus Ratharsair ainmeachadh mar a’ chiad Sgìre Cànain Shònraichte (SCS) aice airson na Gàidhlig.
Tha a’ Chomhairle a-nis a’ fastadh Oifigear Com-pàirteachadh Coimhearsnachd airson cuideachadh gus na molaidhean a thoirt air adhart, agus obrachadh gu dìreach ri taobh choimhearsnachdan san dà eilean gus taic a thoirt do dhaoine, buidhnean is com-pàirtichean ionadail gus cleachdadh na Gàidhlig a neartachadh.
Tha am plana a’ co-thaobhadh ri gealltanas na comhairle, mar a chaidh aontachadh san Ògmhios, dòigh-obrach fhillte a ghabhail os làimh a thaobh a bhith ag ainmeachadh SCS sa Ghàidhealtachd.
’S e am miann againn obrachadh còmhla ri coimhearsnachdan air feadh na Gàidhealtachd gus fiosrachadh is fianais a thogail mu Sgìrean Cànain Sònraichte, a’ cur ri tuigse mu Achd nan Cànan Albannach 2025 agus a’ cur fiosrachadh ri molaidhean san àm ri teachd airson ainmeachadh a rèir nan slatan-tomhais reachdail agus pròiseasan Riaghaltas na h-Alba.
Thuirt Drew Mac a’ Mhuilleir, cathraiche Comataidh Gàidhlig Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd: “Tha cuid de na coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig as làidire sa Ghàidhealtachd rin lorg san Eilean Sgitheanach agus Ratharsair, agus mar sin tha e iomchaidh gur e seo a’ chiad sgìre air a bheilear a’ beachdachadh airson ainmeachadh mar Sgìre Cànain Shònraichte fon reachdas ùr.
“Tha com-pàirteachadh coimhearsnachd na phrìomh phàirt de phròiseas a bheir seachad cothroman cudromach gus obrachadh gu dlùth le daoine, buidhnean is com-pàirtichean ionadail airson tuigse nas fheàrr fhaighinn air mar a thathar a’ cleachdadh na Gàidhlig an-diugh agus mar as urrainn dhuinn taic a chur ri fàs leantainneach a’ chànain airson nan ginealaichean ri teachd.
“Ged a tha sinn an toiseach ag amas air na dleastanasan reachdail againn a choileanadh san Eilean Sgitheanach agus Ratharsair, tha seo na phàirt de mhiann nas fharsainge a’ Ghàidhlig a neartachadh is a bhrosnachadh air feadh na Gàidhealtachd, ag aithneachadh gu bheil an cànan a’ cur tabhartas cultarach, sòisealta is eaconamach ris na coimhearsnachdan againn.”
Fo shlatan-tomhais reachdail an Achd, ma tha sgìre sam bith ag aithris gu bheil sgilean Gàidhlig aig co-dhiù 20 sa cheud dhen t-sluagh, feumar beachdachadh oirre airson ainmeachadh taobh a-staigh bliadhna.
Stèidhichte air dàta cunntas-sluaigh làithreach, ’s e an t-Eilean Sgitheanach agus Ratharsair an aon uàrd taghaidh sa Ghàidhealtachd a tha a’ coinneachadh na stairsnich seo aig an àm seo, agus mar thoradh, ’s e seo a’ chiad ìre dhen bhuileachadh agus a’ chiad amas a thaobh obair phròiseict SCS na comhairle.
Feumaidh Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd am beachdachadh aice air uàrd an Eilein Sgitheanaich agus Ratharsair a thoirt gu crìch gun a bhith nas anmoiche na 1 Sultain 2027.
Bidh ìrean às dèidh seo a’ beachdachadh air co-dhiù a dh’fhaodadh sgìrean eile taobh a-staigh na Gàidhealtachd a bhith air an ainmeachadh fo na slatan-tomhais ainmeachaidh neo-reachdail, le prìomhachasan, meud-comais is raointean-ama air an dearbhadh às dèidh dhan ìre reachdail a bhith air a coileanadh agus a rèir nan goireasan a tha rim faotainn, na fianais agus an stiùiridh nàiseanta.
Fon Achd, faodar sgìre ainmeachadh mar SCS ma tha i a’ coinneachadh aon a-mach à dà phrìomh chumha:
- Tha àireamh shusbainteach de dhaoine le sgilean-cànain Gàidhlig san sgìre
- Chan eil àireamh shusbainteach de dhaoine le sgilean-cànain Gàidhlig san sgìre ach tha ceangal eachdraidheil aice ri cleachdadh na Gàidhlig; thathar a’ teagasg agus ag ionnsachadh tron Ghàidhlig no tha deagh ìre de ghnìomhachd chultarach a’ buntainn ri cànan no cultar na Gàidhlig san sgìre.
Tha dàta Cunntas-sluaigh 2022 a’ sealltainn gu bheil 8.07 de shluagh na Gàidhealtachd a tha aois trì agus nas sine ag aithris gu bheil sgilean-cànain Gàidhlig aca.
Gheibhear fiosrachadh mun dreuchd Com-pàirteachadh Coimhearsnachd an seo: https://myjobscotland.gov.uk/councils/highland-council/jobs/community-engagement-officer-35hpw-fixed-term-18-months-highland-wide-494191
***
Highland Council to make Skye and Raasay an Area of Linguistic Significance for Gaelic
Highland Council is working to designate Skye and Raasay as its very first Area of Linguistic Significance (ALS) for Gaelic.
The Council is now recruiting a Community Engagement Officer to help take forward the proposals, and work directly alongside communities in both islands to support local people, organisations and partners to strengthen Gaelic language use.
The plan aligns with the council’s commitment, as agreed in June, to take a layered approach towards the ALS designation in Highland.
Our ambition is to work with communities across Highland to identify and evidence areas of linguistic significance, supporting understanding of the Scottish Languages Act 2025 and informing future recommendations for designation in accordance with the statutory criteria and Scottish Government processes.
Cllr Drew Millar, chair of Highland Council’s Gaelic Committee, said: "Skye and Raasay has some of the strongest Gaelic-speaking communities in Highland, so it is fitting that they are the first area to be considered for designation as an Area of Linguistic Significance under the new legislation.
"Community engagement is a key part of a process that will provide important opportunities to work closely with local people, organisations and partners to better understand how Gaelic is used today and how we can support its continued growth for future generations.
"While our immediate focus is on meeting our statutory responsibilities in Skye and Raasay, this forms part of a wider ambition to strengthen and promote Gaelic all across Highland, recognising the language's cultural, social and economic contribution to our communities."
Under the act’s statutory criteria, any area where 20 per cent or more of the population reports Gaelic skills must be considered for designation within one year.
Based on current census data, Skye and Raasay is the only electoral ward in Highland meeting this threshold and, as a result, forms phase one of implementation and the immediate focus of the council’s ALS project activity.
The Highland Council must complete its consideration of the Skye and Raasay ward no later than 1 September 2027.
Subsequent phases will consider the potential designation of other areas within Highland under the non-statutory designation criteria, with prioritisation, scope and timescales to be determined following completion of the statutory phase and in line with available resources, evidence and national guidance.
Under the Act, an area may be designated as an ALS if it meets one of two primary conditions:
- The area contains a significant number of people with Gaelic language skills
- The area does not contain a significant number of Gaelic speakers but demonstrates a Historical connection with the use of Gaelic; has provision of teaching and learning through the Gaelic language or significant activity relating to Gaelic language or culture.
The 2022 Census data shows that 8.07 percent of Highland’s population aged three and over report some Gaelic language skills.
Details of the Community Engagement Post can be found here: https://myjobscotland.gov.uk/councils/highland-council/jobs/community-engagement-officer-35hpw-fixed-term-18-months-highland-wide-494191