Scottish Government unanimously passes the Scottish Languages Bill
The Scottish Government has unanimously passed the Scottish Languages Bill which gives Gaelic and Scots languages official status in Scotland. The Bill was first introduced on the 29th of November 2023 and was debated (at Stage 3) on Tuesday evening in parliament. The Bill was passed successfully and marks an extremely positive step towards Gaelic and Scots language growth.
The Bill makes changes to strengthen the support for the Gaelic and Scots languages in Scotland, including changes to Gaelic and Scots education and requiring Scottish Ministers to produce a National Gaelic Language Plan. See more details here.
During the Stage 3 debate, Willie Rennie MSP spoke about the important role Sabhal Mòr Ostaig plays in supporting and promoting Gaelic language, culture, and economy, as well as its international reach and significance.
As part of the Bill, a motion was passed by Willie Rennie seeking Scottish Ministers to take the appropriate steps to support the development of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig as the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture. It was agreed that a review of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig’s status will be carried out by the Government next year. Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, gave her full support to this, reaffirming the importance of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.
What would a review of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig mean?
A review of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig’s status would look at the following:
- A review of our funding
- A review of how to develop and enhance our status as the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture
- A review of whether Sabhal Mòr Ostaig should be designated as an independent higher education institution/Small Specialist Institute
There is no date set for the review, but Ministers are keen to progress as soon as possible. Ministers are also committed to supporting the review’s findings and taking the necessary steps to enhance Sabhal Mòr Ostaig’s status.
The introduction of the Scottish Languages Bill marks an extremely positive time for the Gaelic language, and the inclusion and importance placed on Sabhal Mòr Ostaig within the Bill reflects the brilliant work being done by everyone here.
