Misneachd’s radical plan for Gaelic

Gaelic grassroots campaign group Misneachd has published its alternative national Gaelic plan which challenges the Scottish Government and Bòrd na Gàidhlig to take more action.

The document, A Radical Plan for Gaelic, notes Gaelic is rapidly weakening as a community language and claims this is being largely ignored by the Scottish Government and the official Gaelic development agency Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

The ‘radical plan’, presented and discussed in events organised by Misneachd in Dunoon to coincide with the Royal National Mòd, is intended to be a critical and constructive response to the third National Gaelic Language Plan (2018–2023) which was published in April.

At the time of the national plan’s release, there were concerns politicians and Gaelic organisations made little mention of research showing the crisis of Gaelic in heartland communities - an issue which was highlighted in a 2011 report on Shawbost, Lewis, commissioned by Bòrd na Gàidhlig. The report showed that transmission of the language to children was greatly weakened and the language had lost its position as the default community language.

Disappointed that the issues raised in this 2011 report were not included in the latest National Gaelic Language Plan, Misneachd uses the recommendations from the Shawbost report as a starting point.

It argues strengthening Gaelic in heartland communities is essential if other key policies, such as expansion of Gaelic-medium education and broadcasting, are to be sustainable in Scotland.

The plan recognises significant additional government funding would be needed to achieve these aims. However, it argues existing policies and funding streams could also be used more effectively.

The plan emphasises that grassroots community activism with a progressive ethos is key to success.