Bòrd na Gàidhlig

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Bòrd na Gàidhlig (borst na ga:lIk) is a quango appointed by the Scottish Executive with responsibility for Scottish Gaelic. It is not to be confused with Comunn na Gàidhlig or An Comunn Gaidhealach, which are much older.

Place names in their original Gaelic are becoming increasingly common on road signs throughout the Scottish Highlands.

Its primary aims are

to increase the number of Gaelic speakers
to strengthen Gaelic as a language of community and home
to promote Gaelic in Scotland's cultural life, and
to develop the use of Gaelic in every aspect of Scottish life

Its duties are

to develop a strategic National Gaelic Plan
to work with organisations with an interest in the language, and
to consult on a strategy for Gaelic-medium education

The Bòrd was set up in April 2003 after years of official neglect and outright hostility towards the language, and its work is keenly anticipated by the Gaels.

The first cathraiche (chair-person) of the eight member Bòrd is Donnchadh MacFhearghais (from Islay), rector of Plockton High School, and former convenor of Comunn Luchd-Ionnsachaidh, Comunn na Gàidhlig, and director of the steering committee for BBC Gaelic programming.

Following a consultation period from October 2003 to January 2004, during which many respondents expressed their concern that any advice Bòrd gives would be likely to be ignored by largely hostile authorities, it was announced in September 2004 that the Bòrd was to be strengthened in several areas:

the Bòrd's guidance to local authorities on Gaelic medium education will be statutory
it can advise all public, private and voluntary bodies
it will decide on how to focus language development and will determine which organisations should produce language plans.

The Gaelic bill, having been debated by the Scottish Parliament, became law in April 2005.