MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has welcomed the commencement of major conservation work at Kisimul Castle in the Isle of Barra.

Kisimul Castle was built by Clan MacNeil (Clan Niall) in the 1400s and is located on a small island near Castlebay. In the 1900s it was restored, and in 2000 the clan chief leased the castle to Historic Environment Scotland for 999 years, for £1 and a yearly bottle of whisky.

However, visitors have been unable to visit the castle since 2020 due to concerns around structural safety. Historic Environment Scotland, who have carried out surveys in recent years to assess the building’s safety and potential for re-opening to visitors, began to make progress with some initial works last year.

Alasdair Allan MSP has been in regular contact with HES throughout the castle’s closure period, and recently met with the architect in charge of coordinating the repair work.

Commenting, Alasdair Allan said:

“I’m very pleased to see these restoration works beginning in earnest now to see the castle made safe for visitors again. I want to commend Rory MacNeil of Barra, the Clan Chief, for his tireless efforts and engagement in order to push progress forward, and I am very much looking forward to being able to visit the castle again myself. Kisimul Castle is hugely significant to the people of Barra and to the Western Isles as a whole. While it has been helpful for boat trips around the island to have continued during the closure period, there will be a great deal of excitement at being able to land on the island and see the castle from the inside again once more of the works have been completed.”

James MacPherson, District Architect at HES, said:

“We are delighted to be progressing works to the interior of the castle which is a key milestone in our programme of conservation work and is another step forward in our long-term plans to reopen Kisimul Castle to visitors.

“We appreciate that the communities of Barra and Vatersay are keen to showcase Kisimul Castle to visitors who arrive from all over the world, and we will continue to work closely with the local community. We are pleased to run free seasonal boat trips around the bay and Castle again this year and hope visitors enjoy exploring the wider area while access to the Castle is currently restricted.”

SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has welcomed the passing of the Scottish Languages Bill in Parliament this evening.

Alasdair Allan spoke in the final debate on the Bill this evening. The new legislation will give the Gaelic and Scots languages official status in Scotland, as well as set out a new mechanism to allow the designation of Areas of Linguistic Significance. The Bill also includes changes to the functions of Bòrd na Gàidhlig and to the place of Gaelic and Scots in education.

Commenting after the vote, Alasdair Allan said:

“Twenty years on from the first Gaelic Language Act, passed by this parliament in 2005, it is essential that we take this opportunity to build on the progress that has already been made. This Bill supports and protects the Gaelic and Scots languages and recognises the very real challenges to Gaelic’s continued existence as a community language for generations to come. While we have seen a significant increase in the number of Gaelic learners across Scotland, something that should be celebrated, there has also been a further decline in the number of Gaelic speakers in the language’s traditional heartlands.

“I believe the measures set out within the bill which Parliament has backed today will be instrumental - alongside the sustained and vital grassroots efforts of groups and individuals in the Gaelic language community - in protecting Gaelic and regrowing the number of fluent speakers all over Scotland.

“I am hugely grateful to the Deputy First Minister and her team for the collaborative and proactive approach taken in relation to this Bill, working closely with a wide range of stakeholders and with MSPs from across the chamber on suggested amendments. As well as the important provisions for Gaelic within the Scottish Languages Bill, I am pleased to see the Scots language receiving the recognition and platform it deserves, as an integral part of Scotland’s cultural identity.”

Tha BPA na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, air cantainn gu bheil e air leth toilichte gun deach Bile nan Cànanan Albannach a ghabhail ris ann am Pàrlamaid na h-Alba feasgar an-diugh.

Thug Alasdair Allan òraid seachad san deasbad air an dreach mu dheireadh den bhile. Bheir an reachdais ùr inbhe oifigeal don Ghàidhlig agus do dh’Albais, agus cuideachd bidh e comasach a-nis Sgìrean Cànain Sònraichte a steidheachadh. Thèid comasan Bhòrd na Gàidhlig atharrachadh, agus bidh atharraichean cuideachd ann a thaobh foghlaim Ghaidhlig agus Albais.

A’ bruidhinn a-nochd, às dèidh do bhuill-pàrlamaid gabhail ris a’ bhile, thuirt Alasdair Allan:

“Fichead bliadhna air adhart bhon chiad achd Gàidhlig ann an 2005, tha e riatanch gun gabh sinn a’ chothrom air ar beulaibh gus piseach a thoirt air an soirbheachas a th’ air a bhith ann mu thràth. Tha am bile seo a’ dìon agus a’ toirt taic don chànan Albais agus don Ghàidhlig, agus e ag aithneachadh cuideachd na fìor dhùbhlain a tha seasamh an aghaidh maireann na Gàidhlig mar chànan comhearsnachd airson na ginealachan ri thighinn. Ged a tha àireamhan luchd-ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlig air èirigh gu mòr air feadh Alba (agus ‘s e rud air leth math a tha sin), tha fhathast crìonadh air a bhith ann a thaobh luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig air a’ Ghàidhealtachd.

“Nam bheachd-sa, cuidichidh na ceumanan sa bhile seo – còmhla ri oidhirpean leantainneach agus ro-chudromach na coimhearsnachd fhèin – le bhith cuideachadh toirt air an àireamh de luchd-labhairt fileantach air feadh Alba fàs a-rithist.

“Tha mi gu math taingeil don Leas Phrìomh Mhinistear, agus an sgioba aice, airson cho co-obrachail agus ro-ghnìomhach ‘s a tha iad air a bhith air a’ bhile seo, ag obair gu dlùth ri luchd-ùidh agus le buill-pàrlamaid bho air feadh an t-seòmar air na diofar atharraichean a chaidh a mholadh. A’ bharrachd air na ullachaidhean cudromach a thaobh na Gàidhlig ann am Bile nan Cànanan Albannach, tha mi cuideachd toilichte faicinn gu bheil Albais a’ faighinn an inbhe agus an aithneachadh air a bheil e airigh, ‘s e cuideachd na phàirt cudromach de dhearbh-aithne cultarail na h-Alba.”

SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has again hit out at the UK Government and its regulators over their mismanagement of the RTS meter switch-off  He called for clarity for households with only a fortnight until the currently advertised deadline.

Energy suppliers have been given the deadline of the 30^th June this year (previously extended from March 2024) to ensure all households still using an RTS-reliant meter had been able to have this replaced. Ofgem confirmed at the end of May that the switch-off would now take a phased approach, as energy suppliers had failed to scale up their RTS meter replacement operations to the level required.

However, with only a fortnight until the RTS signal is due to begin being switched off, no details have yet been provided as to how the phased approach will work, what the timescales involved might be, and what affected households should do meantime.

The islands’ MSP wrote again to Ofgem’s chief executive last week, pressing the UK Government energy regulator to provide households with clear information and advice about the impending switch-off as soon as possible.

Commenting, Alasdair Allan said:

“While I have, over recent months, managed to help a significant number of Western Isles households secure meter upgrade appointments with their suppliers ahead of the 30^th June deadline, unfortunately some companies remain well behind where they need to be at this point. We need urgent clarity from Ofgem about how the phased switch-off will work – which areas will be first, and what should households within those areas do if their energy supplier hasn’t upgraded their meter in time?

“The Scottish Government has been doing all it can to advocate on behalf of households on this matter but all powers in this area are reserved to the UK Government. it is deeply frustrating that there is still such a dearth of information for affected households. As of April there were still over 2000 homes in the Western Isles waiting for appointments from their energy suppliers. The UK Government and its energy regulator, along with energy suppliers themselves, must ensure that nobody is inconvenienced or financially penalised for not having been able to get their meter changed by whatever the switch off date in their area turns out to be.”

SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has joined colleagues in calling for a migration system that works for Scotland, after Scottish Government proposals submitted to the Home Office were not included in the UK Government’s recent immigration white paper.

In April, the Western Isles MSP conducted a survey amongst local businesses, which found that 62% were struggling with filling vacancies, while an overwhelming 87% were in favour of the introduction of a Scottish Rural Visa.

The islands’ Labour MP at Westminster has previously expressed support for a tailored visa system, a position that appears to be at odds with that of his party colleagues. The ability to legislate on matters relating to both employment and immigration remain reserved to Westminster.

Speaking ahead of a debate on the matter in the Scottish Parliament this afternoon, Alasdair Allan said:

“Clearly, the UK’s current one-size-fits-all immigration approach is not working for Scotland, and is certainly not working for our islands. From out of touch minimum salary requirements to the lack of flexibility around which jobs are included on the skilled worker visa list, unfortunately the UK Government just isn’t listening to devolved governments or local communities about their needs. This was demonstrated recently by the UK Government’s decision to stop allowing care workers to be employed from overseas – not considering the huge proportion of the care sector workforce that is currently made up of hardworking individuals from other countries, who have chosen to come to the UK to work in a demanding and vital job supporting older people here.

“Those who have chosen to make Scotland their home contribute significantly to our communities, our public services and our economy. Every effort that has been made by the Scottish Government to find solutions to the current system’s huge shortfalls has been dismissed by Westminster. The UK Government’s immigration white paper completely fails to account for our distinct demographic or economic needs, and instead panders to false anti-immigration rhetoric of right-wing parties.

“Region-specific visas have been proven to work in other countries, such as the Atlantic Immigration Program in Canada. As well continuing to push the UK Government to introduce a more appropriate visa system for Scotland’s needs, we must also continue working to reduce depopulation in our rural and island areas, ensuring that working aged people can find affordable housing, childcare and good jobs to continue being a part of their local communities.”