A consultation has been launched on East Lothian Council’s new Gaelic Language Plan, which covers the period 2025-30.
The draft plan, which the council has a statutory duty to renew, sets out actions to help meet a commitment to the aspirations and objectives included in the National Gaelic Language Plan and the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005.
It builds on the council’s first Gaelic Language Plan, which covered the period 2020-25, in recognition of the Scottish Government ambition to see an increase in the number of people speaking learning, using and supporting Gaelic.
The council’s draft Gaelic Language Plan 2025-2030 has been developed with a focus on four strategic aims - increasing community engagement opportunities, the sustainability of Gaelic education (GME), progression of Gaelic Learner Education (GLE) and increased visibility of Gaelic resources and materials.
In support of this, the draft plan includes a number of commitments and actions, including on ‘identity and status’ and ‘Gaelic language acquisition and usage.’
Through a partnership approach including increased community engagement, the council hopes to build on the progress of recent years by continuing to develop Gaelic language provision in East Lothian in a proportionate way.
An East Lothian Council spokesperson said:
“The draft plan recognises how the council can playing our part in making Gaelic more visible, valued and accessible — ensuring it thrives as part of our diverse and inclusive cultural landscape. It is recognised that good progress has been made across Scotland in the use and promotion of Gaelic in recent years. Since 2011, there has been an increase in the number of people with Gaelic language skills in East Lothian. This has coincided with a period in which East Lothian has consistently been one of Scotland’s fastest growing areas. Gaelic, however, continues to face a number of challenges and that is why organisations such as East Lothian Council are required to play their part in supporting collective efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of the language. We would encourage everyone with an interest to respond to the consultation.”
The consultation runs from 16 June until 4 August.