Alasdair Allan (Scottish National Party)

Tha mi a' toirt fàilte chridheil gu òraid a' mhinisteir, gu plana Gàidhlig an Riaghaltais agus dhan chonaltradh a tha a' fosgladh an-diugh. Tha mi an dòchas gum bi a h-uile duine ann aig a' chèilidh bhig air a' chuspair sin ann an seòmar comataidh 3 aig 6 uairean.

Anns a' chiad dol a-mach, agus ann an dòigh neònach, tha e a' toirt misneachd dhòmhsa gu bheil an Riaghaltas ag aithneachadh anns a' phlana cànain gu bheil suidheachadh na Gàidhlig air leth lag, mar a thuirt Iain Fearchar Rothach. Carson a bhithinn toillichte sin a chluinntinn? Uill, a chionn 's gu bheil e fìor agus a chionn 's gu bheil mi toillichte gu bheil am plana a' dèiligeadh ri cùisean mar a tha iad. Mar eisimpleir, chan eil àite sam bith anns an t-saoghal a tha nas Gàidhealaiche na na Hearradh. Tha beul-aithris prìseil aig an àite. Tha Gàidhlig làidir anns a' choimhearsnachd fhathast. Tha dealbh eadardhealaichte air fad ann, ge-tà, nuair a bheir sinn sùil air an t-suidheachadh am measg nan daoine òga. Ged a tha tòrr dhaoine ag obair gu math cruaidh airson na Gàidhlig anns an sgìre, seo na figearan: tha 117 sgoilearan anns na bun-sgoiltean anns na Hearradh. Tha mi a' creidsinn gu bheil 15 no 16 dhiubh a' dol dhan sgoil tro mheadhan na Ghàidhlig.

Tha mi toillichte gu bheil an Riaghaltas ag aithneachadh dè cho cugallach 's a tha cor a' chànain. Bhiodh eagal mòr orm nan robh am plana a' tòiseachadh le sgeul gun robh a h-uile rud gu math agus gu dòigheil ann an saoghal na Gàidhlig. Ciamar a bhios sinn a' tionndadh air ais tancair-ola na Gàidhlig bho na creagan? Tha mi a' creidsinn gu bheil an Riaghaltas a' dèanamh dà rud glè chudromach an-diugh airson na Gàidhlig. Airson aon rud, tha am plana cànain a' togail suas inbhe na Gàidhlig taobh a-staigh an Riaghaltais fhèin. Nas cudromaiche, ge-tà, tha e a' toirt taic dhan Ghàidhlig taobh a-muigh togalaichean na seirbheis catharra.

Tha e math a chluinntinn gum bi spèis agus inbhe nas àirde aig a' Ghàidhlig anns an Riaghaltas ann an dòigh ìomhaigheil agus barrachd air ìomhaigheil. Tha e cudromach gum bi an Riaghaltas ag ràdh gum bi e a' meudachadh àireamh de dh'fhoillseachaidhean a tha rim faotainn sa Ghàidhlig. Tha e soilleir gum bi a' Ghàidhlig aig chridhe "dearbh-aithne chorporra" an Riaghaltais agus anns a h-uile template eileagtronaigeach a tha an Riaghaltas a' cleachdadh. Bidh a' Ghàidhlig na phàirt àbhaisteach ann an obair an Riaghaltais, nuair a bhios ministearan a' toirt freagairt gu puist-dealain a tha a' tighinn a-steach anns a' chànan no ann am fiosan naidheachd. Carson a tha an stuth sin cudromach? Uill, na aonar, chan eil e cudromach, ach tha mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil e riatanach. Am measg adhbharan eile, tha cuid de dhaoine òga a' cur an cùlaibh ris a' Ghàidhlig a chionn 's gu bheil iad a' creidsinn nach eil ùidh sam bith aig Alba mar dhùthaich anns a' Ghàidhlig. Mar a bha am ministear ag ràdh, tha BBC Alba ag atharrachadh nam beachdan sin agus tha an t-atharrachadh dhan mholadh ag aithneachadh sin cuideachd. Tha e cudromach gu bheil an Riaghaltas ag aithneachadh an aon rud anns an dòigh obrach a tha aige.

A' tionndadh dhan dàrna pàirt den phlana, tha an Riaghaltas a' toirt taic làidir dhan Ghàidhlig anns a' choimhearsnachd fhèin, le bhith: a' meudachadh air cleachdadh na Gàidhlig anns an dachaigh; a' meudachadh air na tha ri fhaotainn de dh'fhoghlam tro mheadhan na Gaidhlig; a' meudachadh cleachdadh a' chànain anns a' choimhearsnachd. Mar eisimpleir, tha an Riaghaltas a' cumail siostam thabartasan sònraichte gu foghlam Gàidhlig agus a' toirt airgead a-steach gus aonadan Gàidhlig agus sgoiltean Gàidhlig ùra a leasachadh. Tha barrachd airgid ann airson Bòrd na Gàidhlig airson nam prìomh phròiseactan aige, ma gheibh—thathar a' tuigsinn—buidseat an Riaghaltais taic anns a' Phàrlamaid mu dheireadh thall. Tha e inntinneach cuideachd gum bi an Riaghaltas a' cur stiùireadh a-mach don roinn phoblaich mun dleastanas a tha oirre fo Achd na Gàidhlig (Alba) 2005. Tha e na dheagh chomharradh gum bi a' Ghàidhlig air a "mhainstreamadh" ann am poileasaidh an Riaghaltais. Tha taic aig an Riaghaltas airson na Gàidhlig gun teagamh sam bith, agus bha e furasta fhaicinn aig deasbad nam ball a bha agam o chionn goirid gu bheil an aon sheòrsa taic am measg nam pàrtaidhean air fad.

Ann an dòigh, ge tà, tha an Riaghaltas direach a' tòiseachadh leis a' phàirt as inntinniche den deasbad seo, a thachras anns a' chonaltradh às dèidh an-diugh. Tha mi cinnteach gum bi an conaltradh a' togail nan ceistean cudromach. Ciamar a bhios sinn a' meudachadh an àireamh de sgoilearan a tha a' dol tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig? Dè seòrsa co-obrachadh a bu chòir a bhith ann eadar an Riaghaltas, Bòrd na Gàidhlig agus comhairlean? Dè na targaidean a tha againn airson àireamh nan Gàidheal aig cunntas-sluaigh ann an 2011 no 2021?

Tha mi an dòchas gum bi saoghal na Gàidhlig air fad a' gabhail pàirt anns a' chonaltradh—bidh mise co-dhiù. Tha mi toilichte fàilte a chur air a' phlana a tha romhainn an-diugh.

Following is the simultaneous interpretation:

I give a warm welcome to the minister's speech on the Gaelic plan and the consultation that starts today. I hope that everyone will take part in the associated event in committee room 3 at 7 o'clock.

In a strange way, it gives me confidence that the Government recognises that Gaelic is in a very weak state, as John Farquhar Munro said. Why would I be happy about that? Because we have a plan that deals with things as they are. For instance, there is no place in the world that is more Gaelic than Harris—there is wonderful folklore and Gaelic is still strong in the community—but an examination of the situation among the young people in the area paints a different picture. Although a lot of people are working hard to support the language among young people, only 15 or 16 of the 117 primary school pupils in Harris are going through Gaelic-medium education.

I am happy that the Government recognises how uncertain the state of the language is, and I would have been afraid if the plan had begun with an announcement of the good news that everything was going well in the Gaelic world. How are we going to turn the Gaelic oil tanker away from the rocks? I believe that the Government is doing two very important things today: first, the plan raises the status of Gaelic within the Government; secondly, and more important, it gives support to Gaelic outside the civil service buildings.

It is good to hear that there will be respect and higher status for Gaelic in the Government, and it is interesting that the Government says that it will increase the number of things done in Gaelic—it is obvious that Gaelic will be at the heart of the Government's corporate identity. Gaelic will play a huge part in the work of the Government, such as when ministers are answering e-mails and issuing press releases in Gaelic. On its own, that is not important, but it is necessary because, among other reasons, some of our young people are turning their back on the language because they believe that Scotland as a nation has no interest in Gaelic. BBC Alba is changing those opinions, as the minister said, and the practical recommendations in the plan will support that change. It is obvious that the Government has identified that issue.

I turn to the second part of the plan. The Government will give strong support to Gaelic in the community by increasing its use in the home, the amount that is received in education, and the amount that is spoken in the community. The plan says, for instance, that the Government will maintain the specific grants system to provide funding for Gaelic units and build new schools—if, that is, the Government's budget receives support at long last. The Government will send out a signal that Gaelic will be mainstreamed in Government policy. There is no doubt that the Government supports Gaelic, and it was evident from my members' debate that there was the same support among all the parties.

In a way, however, the Government is just beginning, and the most interesting part of the debate will come after today in the form of the consultation. I am sure that it will raise important questions—for example, on how we will increase the number of school pupils who are learning through the medium of Gaelic; the collaboration and co-operation that there ought to be among the Government, Bòrd na Gàidhlig and councils; and our targets for the number of Gaelic speakers in the 2011 and 2021 censuses.

I hope that the whole of the Gaelic world will take part in the consultation. I will do so, and I am happy to welcome the plan that is before us today.