Seicichean Gàidhlig: RBS a' cur car (Gaelic cheques: RBS in U-turn)

Published on Friday 15 May 2009 22:05

IT IS a small but notable victory for an endangered language that is spoken by just over 1.2 per cent of Scotland's population.

Campaigners are celebrating after winning a battle with Royal Bank of Scotland over the right to use Gaelic when writing out cheques.

Last month Brd na Gidhlig, the national Gaelic development agency, warned that customers might cancel accounts if they were not allowed to use Gaelic.

It came after a Stornoway man was told by RBS he should use English when filling in cheques, despite the bank issuing him with a bilingual cheque book with his name and other details printed in Gaelic.

Arthur Cormack, the agency chairman, raised the issue with RBS Group chief executive Stephen Hester, and said he feared it could lead to the withdrawal, through time, of Gaelic signs at banks and that eventually Gaelic may be eradicated from RBS services altogether.

But following a meeting in Edinburgh this week, attended by Brd na Gidhlig and bank officials and Alasdair Allan, the Western Isles MSP, the RBS said it would accept cheques in Gaelic.

A joint statement said: "It is recognised that certain practicalities exist, not least the acceptance by retailers and other businesses around the country of cheques written in Gaelic, however the bank has demonstrated a very constructive and practical approach in finding a solution to the particular issues that were raised.

"The Royal Bank's undoubted commitment to the Gaelic community is very clear and welcome, and we very much appreciate their efforts in supporting the promotion of Gaelic, through both their ongoing business activities and their long term support of cultural events. We look forward to working with the Royal Bank to support the sustainability of Gaelic along with the Gaelic-speaking community to our mutual benefit."

RBS's position was welcomed yesterday by Mr Cormack.

He said: "Obviously, we were concerned that the bank's apparent decision to withdraw permission for the words of a financial settlement to be used in Gaelic could lead to the eventual eradication of Gaelic in the bank's operation."

He went on: "I would like to think that we can now engage with a range of banks and financial organisations to see how their use of and support for Gaelic can be enhanced, rather than diminished."

Anita Hunt, regional managing director of RBS, said: "The Royal Bank of Scotland has been serving the Western Isles and our Gaelic-speaking customers for 180 years.

"We take our responsibilities to all our customers and communities very seriously.

"We are changing the way we work as a bank as we recognise and respond to the problems we have faced."

She added: "The Gaelic language adorns our cheque books, branches and mobile banks, and we can now go further. We will accept cheques written in Gaelic in response to representations made to us."