Dear Member

GAELIC SELECT COMMITTEE

A meeting of the GAELIC SELECT COMMITTEE will take place in COMMITTEE ROOM 1, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on THURSDAY 12 JANUARY 2006 at 2PM. 

Yours faithfully

ALISTAIR B DODDS
DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SERVICES

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting.  Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest.  Advice may be sought from officers prior to the meeting taking place.

BUSINESS

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2.

COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS – GRANTS FOR GAELIC PROGRAMMING AND WALLACE SWORD COMPETITION

There is circulated report GSC 01/06 by the Area Manager, Skye and Lochalsh, outlining the operation of a grant scheme to encourage radio stations to produce or develop Gaelic programmes.

The Select Committee is invited to note and comment on the operation of the Community Radio Grants Scheme and to congratulate the station producing the 2005 winning entry in the Wallace Sword Competition. 

3.

GAELIC MEDIUM TEACHERS – ACTION GROUP REPORT

There is circulated report GSC 02/06 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport, which provides a summary of and identifies key actions on the Scottish Executive Action Group Report – Gaelic medium Teachers.

Members are invited to note and comment on the contents of the Action Group Report on Gaelic Medium Teachers and agree to urge the Scottish Executive that a Gaelic Teacher Recruitment Officer should be appointed, in the first instance for two years, and that this person be located within Bòrd na Gàidhlig with a remit to co-ordinate and seek implementation of the recommendations as detailed within the report as soon as possible. 

4.

GAELIC COURSES

There is circulated report GSC 03/06 by the Gaelic Development Officer, outlining the proposal for Gaelic Language Training through Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, including proposed staff, numbers, implementation and costs.

The Gaelic Select Committee are asked to:

a) approve the proposal for a course of 16 staff at  Sabhal Mòr Ostaig;
b) approve the proposed Highland Council process for managing the course;
c) approve the sponsoring of identified staff from each Service to attend the course; and
d) approve the provision of lunch time Gaelic courses. 

5.

EUROPEAN CHARTER FOR MINORITY LANGUAGES

There is circulated report GSC 04/06 by the Gaelic Development Officer updates Members of the developments to date regarding the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages visit to Scotland.

The Select Committee is asked to:

(a) note the terms of the Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the particular undertakings which the UK Government has signed up to;
(b) agree who will give evidence to the Committee of Experts on behalf of the Council on 30^th January 2005; and
(c) discuss and agree the key points to be focused on during the meeting with the Committee of Experts. 

6.

GAELIC PLACE NAMES LIAISON COMMITTEE  - DEVELOPMENT PLAN
 
Following the adoption of a Development Plan, the Gaelic Place names Liaison Committee has taken the decision to formalise its structure and seek funding to take the organisation forward to the next stage.  The Lochaber Area Manager will explain the main aims of the Development Plan and the steps the Committee now intends to follow, with the support of partner organisations.  

7.

NOVIA SCOTIA INITIATIVES

There is circulated report GSC 05/06 by the Area Manager, Skye & Lochalsh, which outlines the recent projects which have taken place under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Novia Scotia this autumn and seeks the Select Committee’s confirmation of the priority projects for 2006/07.

The Select Committee is invited to note the report and agree the key projects for implementation in 2006/07. 

8.

REPRESENTATION ON FEIS ROIS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Following Correspondence from Feis Rois, the Select Committee is requested to appoint an ‘Observer’ to the Feis Rois Management Committee.