3rd June 2026
On Wednesday this week (3 June) The Highland Council is aiming to take a major step forward in strengthening its support for Gaelic, recognising the linguistic, educational, historical and cultural connections which exist right across our region.
Highland Council’s Gaelic Committee is to consider a recommendation to adopt a Highland‑wide designation as an Area of Linguistic Significance (ALS) for Gaelic under the Scottish Languages Act 2025.
The Act requires local authorities to consider the designation in areas where 20 per cent or more of the population report Gaelic language skills.
While Skye and Raasay is the only Highland Council ward exceeding this threshold, the Council believes that Gaelic has a meaningful presence across many Highland communities.
ALS provision is designed to enable these communities to receive appropriate recognition and support to maintain and grow Gaelic.
Whole‑Authority Approach will contain Local Flexibility
In Highland the whole‑authority approach will be supported by a place‑based framework.
This means that while the overall designation is Highland‑wide, how it is delivered will reflect Gaelic in education and community activity, as well as the social, economic and cultural characteristics of a community.
A Highland-wide approach allows the Council to recognise:
Areas where Gaelic is strong and widely used in daily life.
Areas where renewed interest is evidenced through increased participation, such as through classes, groups, or events.
Urban areas where there is growth of Gaelic activity.
Areas with historical or cultural connections to Gaelic.
A whole-authority approach doesn’t mean ignoring local needs - it provides a consistent framework, while still allowing flexibility in how it’s delivered.
While we are proposing a whole-Highland designation, support will not be uniform. Different areas will receive different levels and types of support based on need, strength of Gaelic and community priorities.
For example:
The designation could allow Skye, where there is stronger community Gaelic, to receive intensive support at local levels.
In Sutherland, with its historic Gaelic heritage, the focus may look at regeneration efforts.
In Inverness, the target could be urban growth developed though GME.
An authority‑wide approach provides the structure and commitment, while the place‑based model ensures that delivery is responsive and relevant to each community.
Highland Council leader Raymond Bremner said: “This legislation has the potential to make a lasting and positive difference, and we will work to ensure the full benefits are realised for everyone in Highland who wants to see Gaelic thrive.
“The best way to achieve this is not to pitch one area against another, but through an approach where the ALS designation is used to respond flexibly to the needs of individual communities.
“We want to support Gaelic where it is still strong, but we also need to support it in places where there is renewed interest and to recognise the cultural connections that exist all over the Highlands because of the language.
“This designation is a starting point, not the delivery model. What matters is how we apply it, with the ultimate objective being to see meaningful Gaelic development at local levels right across the region.
Cllr Drew Millar, chair of Highland Council’s Gaelic Committee, said: “This is one of the most significant pieces of legislation for Gaelic in many years, and we want communities, Gaelic groups and local organisations to work together to make sure the right support is there for all of them.
“The Council is committed to embracing the opportunities the designation provides to strengthen our long-standing support for Gaelic in education, the economy and in community life.
“There will be space and time for continued community engagement during a year-long process, before recommendations are made to the Scottish Government.”
Community input
The Council’s engagement will begin in September 2026 to gather views on the recommendation made to the Gaelic committee.
Formal statutory consultation will follow, if the Council decides to proceed with a proposed designation.
The Scottish Government has identified £1.5 million of funding to support ALS processes nationally.
Read the full committee report here:
https://www.highland.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/5357/gaelic-committee-comataidh-na-gaidhlig
SCS – cothrom coimhearsnachdan na Gàidhealtachd a chur aig cridhe leasachadh na Gàidhlig
Diciadain an t-seachdain sa (3 Ògmhios) tha Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd ag amas air ceum mòr air adhart a ghabhail a thaobh a bhith a’ neartachadh a taic dhan Ghàidhlig, ag aithneachadh nan ceanglaichean cànanach, foghlamach, eachdraidheil is cultarach a tha rin lorg air feadh na sgìre againn.
Tha Comataidh Gàidhlig Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd gus beachdachadh air moladh gun tèid gabhail ri sònrachadh airson na Gàidhealtachd air fad mar Sgìre Chànain Shònraichte (SCS) airson na Gàidhlig fo Achd nan Cànan Albannach 2025.
Tha an Achd ga chur mar riatanas air ùghdarrasan ionadail beachdachadh air an t-sònrachadh ann an sgìrean far a bheil sgilean Gàidhlig aig 20 sa cheud no barrachd dhen t-sluagh. Ged is e Eilean a’ Cheò (An t-Eilean Sgitheanach is Ratharsair) an aon uàrd-taghaidh le Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd a tha a’ dol thairis air an stairsnich seo, tha a’ Chomhairle dhen bheachd gu bheil làthaireachd bhrìoghmhor aig a’ Ghàidhlig thar iomadh coimhearsnachd sa Ghàidhealtachd.
Tha solar SCS air a dhealbh gus comas a thoirt dha na coimhearsnachdan seo aithne is taic fhreagarrach fhaotainn gus a’ Ghàidhlig a chumail suas agus a fàs.
Bidh subailteachd ionadail an lùib na dòigh-obrach làn-ùghdarrais
Anns a’ Ghàidhealtachd, thèid taic a chur ris an dòigh-obrach làn-ùghdarrais tro fhrèam-obrach stèidhichte air àite.
Mar sin, ged a tha an sònrachadh iomlan a’ gabhail a-steach na Gàidhealtachd air fad, bidh an dòigh san tèid a lìbhrigeadh a’ toirt aire dhan Ghàidhlig ann am foghlam agus gnìomhachd choimhearsnachd, a bharrachd air feartan sòisealta, eaconamach is cultarach nan coimhearsnachd.
Tha dòigh-obrach làn-ùghdarrais a’ toirt cothrom dhan Chomhairle aithne a thoirt do na leanas:
Sgìrean far a bheil a’ Ghàidhlig làidir agus air a cleachdadh gu farsaing ann am beatha làitheil.
Sgìrean far a bheil ùidh às ùr follaiseach tro chom-pàirteachadh a bharrachd, a leithid tro chlasaichean, bhuidhnean no thachartasan.
Sgìrean bailteil far a bheil gnìomhachd Ghàidhlig a’ fàs.
Sgìrean le ceanglaichean eachdraidheil no cultarach ris a’ Ghàidhlig.
Chan eil dòigh-obrach làn-ùghdarrais a’ ciallachadh gum bithear a’ dèanamh dìmeas air feumalachdan ionadail – ’s ann a thathar a’ toirt seachad frèam-obrach cunbhalach, fhad ’s a thathar a’ comasachadh subailteachd san dòigh sa bheilear ga lìbhrigeadh.
Ged a tha sinn a’ moladh sònrachadh airson na Gàidhealtachd air fad, cha bhi an taic co-ionann. Bidh diofar sgìrean a’ faighinn diofar ìrean is diofar sheòrsachan taic a bhios stèidhichte air feumalachd, neart na Gàidhlig agus prìomhachasan coimhearsnachd.
Mar eisimpleir:
Dh’fhaodadh an t-Eilean Sgitheanach, far a bheil a’ Ghàidhlig nas làidire sa choimhearsnachd, dian-thaic fhaotainn aig ìrean ionadail.
Ann an Cataibh, far a bheil dualchas Gàidhlig eachdraidheil, math dh’fhaodte gum bi am fòcas air oidhirpean ath-nuadhachaidh.
Ann an Inbhir Nis, dh’fhaodadh an t-amas a bhith air fàs bailteil air a leasachadh tro FtG.
Tha dòigh-obrach làn-ùghdarrais a’ toirt seachad structar is gealltanas, fhad ’s a tha am modail stèidhichte air àite a’ dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil lìbhrigeadh co-fhreagrach is iomchaidh a thaobh gach coimhearsnachd.
Thuirt Ceannard Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd, an Comhairliche Raymond Bremner: “Faodaidh an reachdas seo diofar maireannach is math a dhèanamh, agus bidh sinn ag obair gus dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil na buannachdan iomlan air an toirt gu buil dhan a h-uile duine sa Ghàidhealtachd a tha airson a’ Ghàidhlig fhaicinn a’ soirbheachadh.
“Gus seo a choileanadh, chan e an dòigh as fheàrr a bhith a’ cur aon sgìre an aghaidh sgìre eile, ach tro dhòigh-obrach far a bheil sònrachadh SCS air a chleachdadh gus co-fhreagairt ann an dòigh shubailte ri feumalachdan choimhearsnachdan fa leth.
“Tha sinn airson taic a thoirt dhan Ghàidhlig far a bheil i làidir, ach feumaidh sinn cuideachd taic a thoirt dhi ann an àiteachan far a bheil ùidh às ùr agus aithne a thoirt dha na ceanglaichean cultarach a th’ ann air feadh na Gàidhealtachd air sgàth a’ chànain.
“’S e àite tòiseachaidh a tha san t-sònrachadh seo, chan e am modail lìbhrigidh. ’S e a tha cudromach ach an dòigh san tèid a chur an gnìomh, le amas aig a’ cheann thall a bhith a’ faicinn leasachadh brìoghmhor Gàidhlig aig ìrean ionadail thar na sgìre air fad.
Thuirt an Comhairliche Drew Mac a’ Mhuilleir, Cathraiche Comataidh Gàidhlig na Comhairle: “’S e seo aon de na pìosan reachdais as cudromaiche airson na Gàidhlig ann an iomadh bliadhna, agus tha sinn airson ’s gum bi coimhearsnachdan, buidhnean Gàidhlig agus buidhnean ionadail ag obrachadh còmhla airson dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil an taic cheart ann dhaibh uile.
“Tha a’ Chomhairle dealasach a thaobh a bhith a’ gabhail ris na cothroman a tha an sònrachadh a’ toirt seachad gus an neartaichear an taic mhaireannach againn airson na Gàidhlig ann am foghlam, san eaconamaidh agus ann am beatha na coimhearsnachd.
“Bidh àite is ùine ann airson com-pàirteachadh coimhearsnachd leantainneach tro phròiseas a mhaireas bliadhna, mus tèid molaidhean a dhèanamh do Riaghaltas na h-Alba.”
Com-pàirteachadh coimhearsnachd
Bidh com-pàirteachadh na Comhairle a’ tòiseachadh san t-Sultain 2026 gus beachdan mun mholadh a chaidh a dhèanamh do Chomataidh na Gàidhlig a chruinneachadh.
Bidh co-chomhairleachadh reachdail foirmeil a’ leantainn seo, ma cho-dhùineas a’ Chomhairle a dhol air adhart le sònrachadh a tha ga mholadh.
Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba air £1.5 millean de mhaoineachadh a chomharrachadh gus taic a thoirt do phròiseasan gu nàiseanta.
Leughaibh an làn-aithisg an seo:
https://www.highland.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/5358/comataidh-na-g-idhlig