The provision of Gaelic services and related activities in the Inverness and Nairn area helps to generate more than £1.8m for the local economy and supports over a hundred full time jobs.  The quality of those jobs is also considered to be high, with an average income of £22,800.

These findings come from a recent study commissioned by Inverness and Nairn Enterprise (INE) to determine the existing and potential economic impacts of Gaelic for the area.

Acting for the local enterprise company, Hecla Consulting examined the most recent census figures and data from other reports, such as the Macpherson and Meek report, and interviewed all the known Gaelic organisations in the area.  Many people holding Gaelic-related jobs were also interviewed.

Inverness has the highest concentration of Gaelic speakers in relation to any other Scottish city and there were found to be 3,810 people with some knowledge of Gaelic resident in the Inverness and Nairn area, representing 7.25% of the overall population.  Of these some 2,374 people identify themselves as Gaelic speakers. In addition, there are estimated to be some 350 Gaelic learners within the area.

The report also concludes that the presence of the new Bòrd na Gàidhlig in Inverness should stimulate language planning and economic and community development activities.  It goes on to specify a number of potential development opportunities relevant to the work of INE, including:

* The development of an International Centre of Excellence for European Minority Languages;

* The development of a strategy that would place Inverness as the capital city for Gaelic;

* The creation of a Gaelic business services incubator adjacent to the corporate headquarters of the Bòrd;

* Support for developing opportunities within the workplace for the learning of Gaelic;

* The development and implementation of joint skills and learning policies between Bòrd an Gàidhlig, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and The Highland Council; and

* Support for the development of a new cadre of translators, writers, editors to provide the range of Gaelic services required for the future.

Stuart Black, acting chief executive of Inverness and Nairn Enterprise and himself a Gaelic learner, welcomed the findings.  He said:  "Clearly it comes as no surprise that Gaelic is so significant to the Inverness and Nairn area.  But it is important to have a fairly accurate assessment of its value, existing and potential, to the local economy and culture.  This report will be a very useful reference document for us in planning future strategies for economic and community development in the area.  In particular it highlights a number of very interesting potential opportunities and I look forward to discussing with the new Bòrd na Gàidhlig how we make the most of these."

Commenting on the Report Donald Martin Chief Executive of Comunn na Gaidhlig said "Inverness & Nairn Enterprise are to be congratulated on commissioning this study which has clearly demonstrated the economic, cultural and social benefits to the area of a vibrant Gaelic sector.  The potential exists to develop the opportunities identified in the Report to create more Gaelic related employment as well as increasing the numbers of Gaelic speakers in the area and we look forward to working in partnership with the Enterprise Company in progressing these initiatives."