This is the latest edition of our Gaelic Language Plan for North Lanarkshire Council, and it is informed by both the National Gaelic Language Plan 2018-23 and The Plan for North Lanarkshire to make it the best place in Scotland to live, learn, work, invest and visit.

In this five-year edition of our plan, we set out how we are going to meet the national aims of increasing the use of Gaelic, increasing the learning of Gaelic and promoting a positive image of the language. We are committing to some ambitious plans to research the desire for Gaelic Medium Education and provide access to those who wish to use it, both in primary and secondary education and more widely through our Community Learning and Development Services and Active and Creative Communities.

We are further ensuring that Gaelic is given equal status as a modern, vibrant language by committing to increase the offer to pupils in schools to learn Gaelic as part of the 1+2 Language Plan as well as ensuring that opportunities exist for the wider community to learn the language and use it in daily life.

North Lanarkshire has long had links to the wider Gaelic Community right across the Central Belt, and we are committed to further strengthening these through corporate commitments to ensuring equal status for Gaelic in all areas of council business, and through working with our partners in neighbouring authorities and beyond.