SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has welcomed this morning’s announcement that the Scottish Government will provide additional funding to protect Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s Gaelic Development Officers Scheme.

Initially an additional £175,000 will be provided to Bòrd na Gàidhlig to maintain the development officer roles, with the development agency being asked by the Scottish Govenmernt to review the scheme in the meantime in order to provide a plan for its sustainable operation in future, including support and oversight of the community officers, to allow ministers to consider options for the scheme’s continued funding.

In February the future of the Gaelic Officers Scheme, which has been running for two years, was thrown into doubt. While Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s core funding remained steady for the 2024/25 budget, the funding uplift received by the agency in recent years had not been able to be renewed.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Alasdair Allan MSP said:

“The news of this additional funding, and commitment to ensure these jobs continue being protected for the long-term, will be a great relief to many. I thank the Education Secretary for her engagement on this issue and for identifying the necessary funding to extend the development officer contracts, especially at a time when budgets across the board are stretched to their limits.

“The loss of these jobs would have gone against the aims and principles of the new languages bill, and would have represented a significant local loss and step back in progress, particularly in rural communities. While the Scottish Government’s budget is under severe pressure – with the proportion of funding received in the block grant for this year from the UK Government at its lowest level ever – it is vital to highlight the critical stage at which the Gaelic language remains. If Gaelic is to continue being used as a community language, work to protect the language’s heartlands needs to be properly funded.

“I will be watching with interest in the coming weeks as the Education Committee in parliament begins its scrutiny of the Scottish Languages Bill, and in the meantime I hope today’s news will be of reassurance to those working so hard to promote the language and culture in their local communities.”

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