Council calls in the experts to quell row of Gaelic cuts

Published on Monday 16 February 2009 20:51

HISTORIANS are being brought in to help decide whether modern-day residents of Caithness have more in common with the Norse or the Gaels.

A debate is continuing within Highland Council on the relevance of Gaelic to the far north. Last year some Caithness councillors sought to exclude the county from a Highland-wide policy of erecting bilingual English-Gaelic road signs.

The move was defeated by 36 votes to 29, but a number of local councillors said there was no demand as the area had more Norse influence than Gaelic.

Councillor John Rosie has now proposed a cut in the council's Gaelic budget as part of a 13 million savings package announced last week.

It comes as Caithness is preparing to host Gaelic's main festival, the Royal National Mod, next year.

Mr Rosie said: "Every department has to make cuts except Gaelic … There is also money being spent on Gaelic signage. I just wanted Gaelic to come under the same scrutiny as every other department."

The national Gaelic development agency is being invited to a meeting in Caithness to explain the area's Gaelic heritage and the benefits it can bring.

Six historians and intellectuals have also been asked to provide information about the history and culture of Caithness.