Rookie with Ross roots is new Gaelic champion
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A ROOKIE councillor with his roots in Ross-shire has become the SNP’s new spokesman for Gaelic.
Alex MacLeod, who has worked closely with First Minister Alex Salmond, insists Highland Council has a “moral responsibility” to the language, in which he is fluent.
A law student at Edinburgh University, the former Tain Royal Academy pupil became the youngest person ever elected to Highland Council last month when he was voted in to the Landward Caithness ward.
He will drive the new Administration's policy to mainstream Gaelic in all Council services, and speak for the SNP-led Administration on Gaelic issues.
He said that the Administration's Gaelic agenda would see the language play a much more high-profile role in work of the Council, and that the language would enjoy "real respect" under the SNP.
He also said that the Council would work proactively to increase the number of Gaelic speakers in the Highlands.
He said that the Council's new Gaelic Implementation Group, chaired by Independent councillor, Hamish Fraser, would move the language on to a new stage of development.
He went on: "I grew up with Gaelic all around me, so I am incredibly excited to work with the new Gaelic Implementation Group and its chair, to move the language forward.
"The new Administration's mainstreaming agenda will ensure Gaelic is shown real respect in the life and work of the Council. Folk are going to see the language play a prominent and meaningful role in our business, much more so than ever before.
"We will work hard, along with our many partners, to increase the number of new speakers and support those with an interest in our language, our culture, and our heritage.
"We have a moral responsibility to do all that we can to preserve, promote and proactively support Gaelic.”
