Charities Bill - Detailed consultation

Tha Bòrd na Gàidhlig a’ cur fàilte air a’ chothrom freagairt a thoirt don cho-chomhairle seo. ’S e Bòrd na Gàidhlig a’ phrìomh bhuidheann phoblach ann an Alba le uallach airson leasachadh na Gàidhlig a chur air adhart, a’ gabhail a-steach comhairle a thoirt do Mhinistearan na h-Alba air cùisean Gàidhlig. ’S e ar n-amas gum faicear is gun cluinnear a’ Ghàidhlig gu làitheil air feadh na h-Alba, air dhòigh ’s gun tèid aithneachadh gu farsaing gu bheil i aig cridhe beatha na h-Alba agus na stòras cultarach is eaconamach.

’S e amas a' Phlana Cànain Nàiseanta Ghàidhlig (PCNG) làithreach gun tèid “a’ Ghàidhlig a chleachdadh nas trice, le barrachd dhaoine ann am barrachd shuidheachaidhean”. Bheirear seo gu buil le bhith a’ cuimseachadh air:
• Cur am meud cleachdadh na Gàidhlig.
• Cur am meud ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig.
• Cur air adhart deagh ìomhaigh den Ghàidhlig.

Tha uallach air Bòrd na Gàidhlig airson leasachadh PCNG gach còig bliadhna. Ach, tha uallach airson a bhith ag adhartachadh prìomhachasan agus geallaidhean a’ Phlana aig grunn ùghdarrasan, bhuidhnean agus choimhearsnachdan còmhla.

Tha Gàidhlig na cànan nàiseanta a tha air a bruidhinn air feadh na h-Alba. Tha mu 50% de luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig a’ fuireach sa Ghàidhealtachd agus sna h-Eileanan, agus càch air feadh na h-Alba air fad. A rèir Cunntas-sluaigh 2011, bha sgilean Gàidhlig aig 87,100 duine (mu 1.7% den àireamh-shluaigh), agus bha 57,600 dhiubh a b’ urrainn Gàidhlig a bhruidhinn.

Tha iarrtas airson cànan is cultar na Gàidhlig a’ sìor-fhàs agus airson nam buannachdan foghlaim, eacanomaigeach is sòisealta a bhuineas riutha.

Tha an t-iarrtas airson Gàidhlig ionnsachadh follaiseach san àrdachadh mhòr de dhaoine a tha a’ gabhail ris an app/làrach-lìn ionnsachadh cànain Duolingo air a bheil ceudan de mhìltean de dhaoine ag ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig ann an Alba agus air feadh na cruinne. Tha cur air bhog SpeakGaelic san t-Sultain 2021 cuideachd air cur gu mòr ri goireasan do dh’inbhich a tha airson a dhol an sàs sa Ghàidhlig agus an cànan ionnsachadh.

Fhuair “Suirbhidh Beachdan Sòisealta na h-Alba 2021: Beachdan Poball na h-Alba air a’ Ghàidhlig”, gu bheil, an coimeas ri 2012,

• a’ cho-chuid a tha ag ràdh gun urrainn dhaibh co-dhiù corra fhacal Gàidhlig a bhruidhinn air dùblachadh bho 15% gu 30%.
• Gu bheil a’ cho-chuid a tha ag ràdh gun tuig iad co-dhiù beagan Gàidhlig air a dhol am meud bho 25% gu 41%.

A bharrachd air sin, tha 79% de dhaoine a’ smaointinn gu bheil a’ Ghàidhlig an dàrna cuid cudromach no glè chudromach do dhualchas cultarach na h-Alba.

Tha obairBòrd na Gàidhlig a’ gabhail a-steachairgead a sgaoileadh do bhuidhnean gus taic a thoirt do leasachadh na Gàidhlig. Tha an ùidh a th’ againn anns a’ Bhile seo a’ nochdadh prìomh àite charthannasan mar chom-pàirtichean lìbhrigidh. Tha iad deatamach do obair Bhòrd na Gàidhlig, leis na nì iad a’ cur ri lìbhrigeadh soirbheachail de ghnìomhan PCNG agus a’ meudachadh ar ruigsinneachd air feadh na h-Alba.

Bho 2018/19, tha sinn air 522 tabhartasan a bhuileachadh air 181 carthannas eadar-dhealaichte. Tha sin faisg air dàrna leth (48%) na h-àireimh iomlain de thabhartasan a thug sinn seachad.

Bha luach ar tabhartasan do charthannasan aig an àm sin faisg air £13m. Tha sin còrr air dà thrian (c70%) de luach nan tabhartasan uile a thug sinn seachad.

A thaobh an fhiosrachaidh a tha ri chur air Clàr Carthannais na h-Alba tha sinn den bheachd gum biodh e luachmhor ann a bhith ag àrdachadh mothachadh mun Ghàidhlig – agus mu bhuidhnean a bhios ri gnìomhan co-cheangailte ris a’ Ghàidhlig gun deigheadh ainm Gàidhlig buidhne a chlàradh cho math ri ainm sa Bheurla. Chuireadh seo ri bhith a’ coileanadh amasan a’ Phlana Cànain Nàiseanta Ghàidhlig. Bhiodh e cuideachd a’ nochdadh spèis cho-ionann don Ghàidhlig ri taobh na Beurla..

Bhiodh e cuideachd a’ togail ìomhaigh nam buidhnean sin. Dh’fhaodadh sin a bhith na bhuannachd dhaibh tro bhith a' togail aire mun deidhinn am measg luchd-maoineachaidh agus chom-pàirtichean. Dh’fhaodadh e cuideachd buidhnean co-cheangailte ris a’ Ghàidhlig a bhrosnachadh gu bhith ag atharrachadh bhon inbhe a th’ aca mar-thà gu inbhe charthannach, leis na buannachdan a dh’fhaodadh a bhith an cois seo.

Leis an àireimh de bhuidhnean carthannais a tha a’ buntainn ris a’ Ghàidhlig, dh’fhaodadh gum biodh OSCR, mar bhuidheann phoblach, airson beachdachadh air ullachadh agus gabhail ris a’ Phlana Ghàidhlig aca fhèin (gus an tig an t-àm nuair a dh’iarrar Plana Gàidhlig reachdail bhuapa). Tha iad seo gan deasachadh gus comas buidhne a mheudachadh airson taic a chumail ri cleachdadh, inbhe agus togail na Gàidhlig mar phàirt de a gnìomhan. Chuireadh seo ri eadar-obrachadh agus dàimh OSCR le carthannasan co-cheangailte ris a’ Ghàidhlig. Tha sinn mothachail gu bheil Plana Cànan Soidhnidh Bhreatainn aig OSCR agus a’ cur fàilte air.

Tha sinn an dòchas gu bheil an fhreagairt againn cuideachail agus taiceil. Feuch gun cuir sibh fios thugainn ma tha ceist sam bith agaibh no ma tha sibh a’ sireadh soilleireachadh.
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Bòrd na Gàidhlig welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation. It is the principal public body in Scotland responsible for promoting Gaelic development, including providing advice to Scottish Ministers on Gaelic issues. Our aim is that Gaelic is seen and heard on a daily basis across Scotland, such that it is widely recognised as an integral part of Scottish life and a national cultural and economic asset.

The aim of the current National Gaelic Language Plan (NGLP) is “that Gaelic is used more often, by more people and in a wider range of situations”. This will be achieved by focusing on:
• Increasing the use of Gaelic.
• Increasing the learning of Gaelic.
• Promoting a positive image of Gaelic.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig is responsible for the development of the NGLP every five years. However, responsibility for progressing the Plan’s priorities and commitments sits across many different authorities, organisations and communities.

Gaelic is a national language which is spoken across Scotland. About 50% of Gaelic speakers live in the Highlands and Islands with the remainder in the rest of Scotland. At the 2011 Census 87,100 people in Scotland had Gaelic skills (around 1.7% of the population), of which 57,600 were Gaelic speakers.

There is a growing demand for Gaelic language and culture with related educational, economic, and social benefits.

The demand for learning Gaelic is evident in the huge uptake for the Duolingo language learning app/website which has hundreds of thousands of people learning Gaelic in Scotland and across the globe. The launch of SpeakGaelic in September 2021 also greatly contributed to resources for adults who want to engage with and learn the language.

The “Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2021: Public Attitudes to Gaelic in Scotland” found that since 2012:

• The proportion who say they can speak at least the odd word of Gaelic has doubled from 15% to 30%.
• The proportion who say they can understand at least a little Gaelic has increased from 25% to 41%.

Further, 79% of people think Gaelic is either very or fairly important to Scotland’s cultural heritage.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s work includes distributing funds to organisations to assist the development of the Gaelic language. Our interest in this Bill reflects the key role of charities as delivery partners. They are critical to the work of Bòrd na Gàidhlig, with their activities contributing to successful delivery of NGLP activities and increasing our reach throughout Scotland.

Since 2018/19, we have awarded a total of 522 grants to 181 different charities. That is almost half (48%) of the total number of grants we awarded.

The value of our grants to charities during that time was almost £13m. That is more than two thirds (c70%) of the value of all the grants we awarded.

In terms of the information to be included on the Scottish Charity Register we believe it would be valuable in raising awareness of Gaelic - and of organisations that undertake Gaelic-related activities - for the Gaelic name of an organisation to be recorded as well as its name in English. This would contribute to achieving the National Gaelic Language Plan’s objectives. It would also demonstrate equal respect for Gaelic alongside English.

It would also raise these organisations’ profile. That could benefit them through greater awareness among potential funders and partners. It could also encourage Gaelic-related organisations to change from their existing status to charitable status, with the attendant benefits this could bring.

Given the number of Gaelic-related charities OSCR, as a public body, may wish to consider the preparation and adoption of their own Gaelic Language Plan (until the time a statutory Gaelic Language Plan may be requested). Such Plans increase the capacity of an organisation to support the usage, status and acquisition of Gaelic as part of its functions. This would enhance OSCR’s interaction and relationship with Gaelic-related charities. We acknowledge and welcome the fact that OSCR has a British Sign Language Plan.

We hope that our response is helpful and constructive. Please get in touch if you have any questions or wish to seek clarification.