Supporting Gaelic Communities - New Working Group To Consider Economic Opportunities

4th March 2022

A' taiceadh choimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig.
Buidheann-gnìomha ùr gus meòrachadh chothroman eaconamach
Supporting Gaelic communities
New working group to consider economic opportunities.

Tha e riatanach do dh'Alba leasachadh tuigse de na dùbhlain mu choinneamh choimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig is meòrachadh iomairtean nas fharsainge gus barrachd chothroman sòisealta is eaconamach a thoirt dha na coimhearsnachdan seo.

Tha Buidheann Obrach Geàrr-bheatha air Cothroman Eaconamach is Sòisealta don Ghàidhlig air a bhith air a stèidheachadh a bhios a' riochdachadh farsaingeachd roinnean le eòlas de bhith ag obair is a' fuireach ann an coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig.

Bidh Iseabail Nic an t-Sagairt na cathraiche den bhuidheann a chuidicheas le lìbhrigeadh mhiannan na Ro-innleachd Nàiseanta 10 bliadhna ùire son Cruth-atharrachadh Eaconamach, a mhìnicheas amas na h-Alba togail aon de na h-eaconamaidhean as soirbheachaile is fàsmhor san t-saoghal is dèanamh cinnteach gum faigh Alba gu lèir buannachd bho thasgadh ann an sgilean is gnìomhachasan an ama ri teachd.

Chuir Rùnaire na h-Eaconamaidh Ceit Fhoirbheis am buidheann ùr air bhog 's i a’ fosgladh Ionad Gnothachais Oighreachd Ghabhsainn air Eilean Leòdhais. Thuirt i:

"Mar neach-labhairt den chànan tha fios agam cho riatanach sa tha Gàidhlig ri fèin-aithne chultarail na h-Alba, is ’s e ar n-amas teachd-àm seasmhach a chruthachadh don Ghàidhlig tro bhith a’ toirt taic dhaibhsean a bhios a’ bruidhinn a’ chànain.

"Tha sinn airson misneachd is comas a thoirt do gach neach ann an Alba cuir ri, is buannachd fhaighinn bho, eaconamaidh a tha nas piseachail, soirbheachaile is farpaisich gu h-eadar-nàiseanta, ag obair ann an cultar a bhios ag aithneachadh is a’ comharrachadh innleachdas agus iomairt.

"Feumaidh Alba a bhith na dùthaich far a bheil cothroman eaconamach sgaoilte gu cothromach eadar ar sgìrean, bailtean beaga is mòra agus ar coimhearsnachdan dùthchail is eileanach. Tha feum againn daoine a chur aig teas-meadhan eaconamaidh a tha ag obair don a h-uile neach, ge be far a bheil iad a’ fuireach, dè a’ choimhearsnachd ri ’m buin iad neo dè na miannan is amasan a th’ aca, gus am faigh iad cothrom air an t-soirbheas nàiseanta againn.

"Bidh eòlas a’ bhuidhinn fìor luachmhor ann a bhith ag aithneachadh chothroman eaconamach a chuidicheas neartachadh ar coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig air feadh Alba is tha mi a’ dèanamh fiughair ri bhith a’ cluinntinn na molaidhean aca."

Thuirt Stiùiriche Susbaint Ioma-ùrlair MG Alba, Iseabail Nic an t-Sagairt:

“Tha eachdraidh fhada aig coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig air feadh Alba de bhith innleachdach is gleusta san t-sealladh aca, is tha sin air cruthachadh buaidh am broinn is thairis air na coimhearsnachdan sin. Tha mi a’ dèanamh fiughair ri rannsachadh shlìghean is èisteachd ri farsaingeachd bheachdan is eòlais, gus an urrainn buill a’ bhuidhinn mìneachadh molaidhean feumail a chruthaicheas buaidh bhrìgheil is a thogas air obair luachmhor gu ruige seo. Tha sinn ag amas cothroman eaconamach is sòisealta aithneachadh tron tèid Gàidhlig a neartachadh, is coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig còmhla rithe, is chun aon ìre, tha sinn ag amas iomairtean a mholadh a chuireas taic ri toraidhean eaconamach is sòisealta anns na coimhearsnachdan seo, is leis an sin, an cànan."

’S e buidheann neo-eisimeileach a th’ ann agus ’s e Buill a’ Bhuidhinn Obraich Geàrr-bheatha air Cothroman Eaconamach is Sòisealta don Ghàidhlig:

Iseabail Nic an t-Sagairt, MG ALBA, Stiùiriche Susbaint Ioma-ùrlair (Cathraiche) - ’s ann ann an comas pearsanta a tha Iseabail na cathraiche den bhuidheann.

Art MacCarmaig, Ceannard aig Fèisean nan Gàidheal

Faye NicLeòid, Neach-cunntais aig Campbell, Stewart, MacLennan & Co

Iain MacRuairidh, Taigh-smocaidh Salar, Fèis Eilean Dorcha
Comh. Calum Rothach, Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd

Joanna Peteranna, Stiùiriche Sgìre Innse Gall aig Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean.

Supporting Gaelic communities
New working group to consider economic opportunities.

Improving the understanding of the challenges facing Gaelic-speaking communities and considering wider initiatives to provide more social and economic opportunities for these communities is vital to Scotland.

A Short Life Working Group on Economic and Social Opportunities for Gaelic has been set up and will have representation from a range of sectors with experience of working and living in Gaelic communities.

Iseabail Mactaggart will chair the group which will help deliver on the ambitions of the new 10 year National Strategy for Economic Transformation, which sets out Scotland’s aim to have one of the most successful and thriving economies in the world and ensuring all of Scotland benefits from investment in the skills and industries of the future.

Economy Secretary Kate Forbes launched the new group during a visit to open the Galson Estate Business Centre on the Isle of Lewis. She said:

“As a speaker of language I know how much Gaelic is a vital part of Scotland’s cultural identity, and our aim is to create a secure future for Gaelic by supporting those who speak the language.

“We want to inspire and enable everyone across Scotland to contribute to, and benefit from, a more prosperous, productive and internationally competitive economy, working in a culture that rewards and celebrates innovation and initiative.

“Scotland must be a country where economic opportunities are distributed fairly across our regions, cities and towns and our rural and island communities. We need people to be at the very heart of an economy that works for everyone, no matter where they live, what community they’re part of or what their aims and objectives are, so they can share in our national success.

“The Group’s expertise will be hugely valuable in identifying economic opportunities which will help strengthen our Gaelic communities across Scotland and I am looking forward to hearing their recommendations."

Head of Multiplatform Content at MG ALBA Iseabail Mactaggart said:

“Gaelic-speaking communities across Scotland have a long history of being resourceful and innovative in outlook, and that has created impact within these communities and beyond. I’m looking forward to exploring approaches and listening to a wide range of ideas and expertise, so that with the group members we articulate useful recommendations that will create meaningful impact and build on valuable work to date. We aim to identify economic and social opportunities that will see Gaelic strengthened, and with that Gaelic-speaking communities, and equally, we aim to suggest initiatives that will support economic and social outcomes in these communities, and with that, the language."

BACKGROUND

It is an independent group and the Members of The Short Life Working Group on Economic and Social Opportunities for Gaelic are:

Iseabail Mactaggart, MG ALBA, Director of Multiplatform Content (Chair) - Iseabail is chairing the group in a personal capacity.

Arthur Cormack, CEO of Fèisean nan Gàidheal

Faye MacLeod, Campbell, Stewart, MacLennan & Co, Accountants

Iain MacRury, Salar Smokehouse, Eilean Dorcha Festival

Cllr Calum Munro, Highland Council

Joanna Peteranna, HIE Area Manager Innse Gall

Agnes Rennie, Chair, Urras Oigreachd Gabhsainn