Gaelic may be introduced to National Galleries

The National Galleries of Scotland are holding public consultations over whether to provide signs for their visitors in both English and Gaelic.

The plans to erect the bilingual signs in their five institutions across Edinburgh have been met with criticism. 

Critics of the proposal claim that the signs are a misguided use of money at a time of severe austerity and cuts to the arts industry. Less than two per cent of the Scottish population speaks Gaelic and these speakers are concentrated in the highlands. They have estimated the cost of the bilingual signs at £1 million.

Conservative MSP Ted Brocklebank has ridiculed the scheme as "superfluous" and campaigned that "there are better things to spend our money on". 

The proposals of bilingual signs have been made in accordance with the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act of 2005 and have support from Holyrood. It has long been part of SNP policy to encourage the use of Gaelic as a key education of heritage and tradition in Scotland. 

The National Galleries of Scotland said in a statement: “Any measures that we take forward will have to be proportionate, appropriate and absorbed within existing budgets. The speculative figures of the Gaelic Language plan costing £1 million are complete nonsense.”

A spokesperson for the National Galleries told The Scotsman: "We are halfway through the consultation. We haven't made any firm decisions on what we're doing." However, there is strong speculation that the plans will go ahead. 

In an earlier statement the Galleries outlined their key objectives to preserve Gaelic as a language. The proposals include "incorporating Gaelic into the corporate logo and signage" whilst "introducing Gaelic awareness training for staff and building internal capacity".

The Galleries expect visitor numbers to increase as a result of the new signs. They are also offering Gaelic-awareness training for all staff.