[Iain MacIlleathain– Preseantair] Tha fàilte ga chur air àrdachadh anns an taic-airgid a tha croitearan a' faighinn airson taighean a leasachadh agus feadhainn ùra a thogail. Ach tha ceist ga togail cuideachd mu carson a tha an Riaghaltas a' dol a chuingealachadh cò gheibh an taic, a rèir dè an teachd a-steach a th' aig teaghlach croiteir. Tha tuilleadh mun seo an-dràsta aig Aonghas Dòmhnallach.
[Aonghais Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Tha a h-uile duine air fàilte a chur air an naidheachd g’ eil taic-airgid airson taighean-croit a thogail no a leasachadh, a’ dol suas gu £38,000 aig a’ char as àirde. Ach a rèir Chomhairle nan Eilean Siar, tha cosgaisean togail air èirigh cho mòr agus nach eil an t-àrdachadh mòr gu leòr.
[An Comh Dòmhnall Crichton] Chan eil sinn a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil e a’ dol fada gu leòr. Anns a’ chonaltradh a bh’ ann chuir sinne air adhart gum bu chòir an grant a bhith co-dhiù aig £50,000 airson toirt a-steach nan cosgaisean a th’ann an-diugh airson a bhith a’ togail taighean. Agus chan eil mi smaoineachadh gu eil àrdachadh dol a dhèanamh mòran atharrachaidh nuair a tha sinn a’ toirt a-steach nan cosgaisean a tha an lùib togail taigh an-diugh.
[Aonghais Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Chleachd buidseat nan taighean-croite a bhith £3.4 millean. Tha e a-nise £1.4 millean. Mar sin feumar meas a dhèanamh air teachd-a-steach, no means testing airson a h-uile croitear a tha ga iarraidh.
[An Comh Dòmhnall Crichton] Briseadh dùil a tha seo mas e an fhìrinn a th’ann, gu bheil means testing dol a thighinn a-steach don sgeama seo. ‘S e cnap-starra eile bhiodh seo a thaobh a bhith toirt daoine a-steach a-rithist gu croitearachd ‘s toirt misneachd dha daoine òga a tha a’ togail taighean anns na coimhearsnachdan aca fhèin. ‘S tha sinn an dòchas gun coinnich sinn ris a’ mhinistear ro dheireadh na mìos agus bidh sinn a’ togail nan draghan sin rithe.
[Aonghais Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Ach tha beachd ann gu bheil daoine ann a tha ceannach croitean aig nach eil ùidh sam bith anns an talamh. Ach gu bheil iad fhathast a’ faighinn an taic-airgid.
[Iain Stephen Moireasdan] Chì mi-fhìn daoine a tha fhaighinn a làmhan air croitean agus ‘s e a’ chiad rud a tha iad a’ dèanamh ‘s e cur a-staigh airson cuideachadh airson taigh a thogail agus ma dh’ fhaoidhte nach eil ùidh sam bith aca ann a bhith ag obair an talmhainn no cumail stoc no fàs dad sam bith. Chan eil a dhìth orra ach dìreach plot airson taigh a thogail agus chanainn sa gu pearsanta g’ eil e ceàrr daoine mar sin taic fhaighinn.
[Aonghais Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Ach air cùl na tha sin tha ceist mhòr mu choinneamh an riaghaltais ‘s tha taic-airgid an taigheadais na phàirt mhòr de fhreagairt nan ceistean.
[Iain Stephen Moireasdan] A bheil an riaghaltas airson ‘s gum bi daoine croitearachd? Bheil e airson ‘s gum bi daoine òg a’ croitearachd? Bheil iad airson ‘s gum bi daoine fuireach anns na sgìrean croitearachd? Agus ma tha, tha leithid a sgeama seo air leth riatanach oir às a h-aonais, cha mhòr gun gabhadh sìon dèanamh do chuid a dhaoine.
[Aonghais Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Bu chòir coinneamh inntinneach a bhith ann ri Ministear nan Gnothaichean Dùthchail air deireadh na mìos. Aonghais Dòmhnallach, BBC An Là ann an Leòdhas.
[Iain MacLean – Presenter] An increase in the grant being awarded to crofters to develop and build new houses has been welcomed. But a question has been raised too about why the government is going to restrict who receives support, according to the crofter’s family income. Angus MacDonald has more on the matter.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] Everyone has welcomed the news that the grants awarded to build or develop croft houses are being increased to a maximum of £38,000. But according to the Western Isles Council, building costs have risen so greatly that this increase just isn’t enough.
[Cllr Donald Crichton] We don’t think this increase is enough. During discussions, we proposed that the grant should at least be £50,000 to allow for the costs involved nowadays in building houses. I don’t think the increase is going to make much difference when you take into account the costs involved in building a house today.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] The croft house budget used to be £3.4 million. It’s now £1.4 million. Therefore, income needs to be assessed, or means testing for each crofter who applies.
[Cllr Donald Crichton] It’s a real disappointment, if it’s true, that means testing is to be introduced to this scheme. This would be another obstacle with regards to introducing new crofters and encouraging young people who are building houses in their own communities. We hope to meet with the minister before the end of the month and we will be raising these issues.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] However, it has been suggested that some people are buying crofts, with no interest at all in the land. And that they are still receiving the grant.
[Iain Stephen Morrison] I myself see people who managing to obtain crofts and the first thing they are doing is applying for a croft house grant, perhaps with no interest whatsoever in working the land or keeping livestock or growing anything. All they need is a plot on which to build a house and I personally think it is wrong that people like that should receive support.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] But behind all of that, there’s a big question facing the government and the croft house grant is a large part of the answer to that question.
[Iain Stephen Morrison] Does the government want people to work crofts? Does it want young people to work crofts? Do they want people to live in crofting communities? If so, a scheme such as this is crucial because without it, some people would barely manage.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] The meeting with the Minister for Rural Affairs at the end of the month should be an interesting one. Angus MacDonald, BBC An Là in Lewis.
[Iain MacIlleathain– Preseantair] Tha fàilte ga chur air àrdachadh anns an taic-airgid a tha croitearan a' faighinn airson taighean a leasachadh agus feadhainn ùra a thogail. Ach tha ceist ga togail cuideachd mu carson a tha an Riaghaltas a' dol a chuingealachadh cò gheibh an taic, a rèir dè an teachd a-steach a th' aig teaghlach croiteir. Tha tuilleadh mun seo an-dràsta aig Aonghas Dòmhnallach.
[Aonghais Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Tha a h-uile duine air fàilte a chur air an naidheachd g’ eil taic-airgid airson taighean-croit a thogail no a leasachadh, a’ dol suas gu £38,000 aig a’ char as àirde. Ach a rèir Chomhairle nan Eilean Siar, tha cosgaisean togail air èirigh cho mòr agus nach eil an t-àrdachadh mòr gu leòr.
[An Comh Dòmhnall Crichton] Chan eil sinn a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil e a’ dol fada gu leòr. Anns a’ chonaltradh a bh’ ann chuir sinne air adhart gum bu chòir an grant a bhith co-dhiù aig £50,000 airson toirt a-steach nan cosgaisean a th’ann an-diugh airson a bhith a’ togail taighean. Agus chan eil mi smaoineachadh gu eil àrdachadh dol a dhèanamh mòran atharrachaidh nuair a tha sinn a’ toirt a-steach nan cosgaisean a tha an lùib togail taigh an-diugh.
[Aonghais Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Chleachd buidseat nan taighean-croite a bhith £3.4 millean. Tha e a-nise £1.4 millean. Mar sin feumar meas a dhèanamh air teachd-a-steach, no means testing airson a h-uile croitear a tha ga iarraidh.
[An Comh Dòmhnall Crichton] Briseadh dùil a tha seo mas e an fhìrinn a th’ann, gu bheil means testing dol a thighinn a-steach don sgeama seo. ‘S e cnap-starra eile bhiodh seo a thaobh a bhith toirt daoine a-steach a-rithist gu croitearachd ‘s toirt misneachd dha daoine òga a tha a’ togail taighean anns na coimhearsnachdan aca fhèin. ‘S tha sinn an dòchas gun coinnich sinn ris a’ mhinistear ro dheireadh na mìos agus bidh sinn a’ togail nan draghan sin rithe.
[Aonghais Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Ach tha beachd ann gu bheil daoine ann a tha ceannach croitean aig nach eil ùidh sam bith anns an talamh. Ach gu bheil iad fhathast a’ faighinn an taic-airgid.
[Iain Stephen Moireasdan] Chì mi-fhìn daoine a tha fhaighinn a làmhan air croitean agus ‘s e a’ chiad rud a tha iad a’ dèanamh ‘s e cur a-staigh airson cuideachadh airson taigh a thogail agus ma dh’ fhaoidhte nach eil ùidh sam bith aca ann a bhith ag obair an talmhainn no cumail stoc no fàs dad sam bith. Chan eil a dhìth orra ach dìreach plot airson taigh a thogail agus chanainn sa gu pearsanta g’ eil e ceàrr daoine mar sin taic fhaighinn.
[Aonghais Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Ach air cùl na tha sin tha ceist mhòr mu choinneamh an riaghaltais ‘s tha taic-airgid an taigheadais na phàirt mhòr de fhreagairt nan ceistean.
[Iain Stephen Moireasdan] A bheil an riaghaltas airson ‘s gum bi daoine croitearachd? Bheil e airson ‘s gum bi daoine òg a’ croitearachd? Bheil iad airson ‘s gum bi daoine fuireach anns na sgìrean croitearachd? Agus ma tha, tha leithid a sgeama seo air leth riatanach oir às a h-aonais, cha mhòr gun gabhadh sìon dèanamh do chuid a dhaoine.
[Aonghais Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Bu chòir coinneamh inntinneach a bhith ann ri Ministear nan Gnothaichean Dùthchail air deireadh na mìos. Aonghais Dòmhnallach, BBC An Là ann an Leòdhas.
[Iain MacLean – Presenter] An increase in the grant being awarded to crofters to develop and build new houses has been welcomed. But a question has been raised too about why the government is going to restrict who receives support, according to the crofter’s family income. Angus MacDonald has more on the matter.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] Everyone has welcomed the news that the grants awarded to build or develop croft houses are being increased to a maximum of £38,000. But according to the Western Isles Council, building costs have risen so greatly that this increase just isn’t enough.
[Cllr Donald Crichton] We don’t think this increase is enough. During discussions, we proposed that the grant should at least be £50,000 to allow for the costs involved nowadays in building houses. I don’t think the increase is going to make much difference when you take into account the costs involved in building a house today.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] The croft house budget used to be £3.4 million. It’s now £1.4 million. Therefore, income needs to be assessed, or means testing for each crofter who applies.
[Cllr Donald Crichton] It’s a real disappointment, if it’s true, that means testing is to be introduced to this scheme. This would be another obstacle with regards to introducing new crofters and encouraging young people who are building houses in their own communities. We hope to meet with the minister before the end of the month and we will be raising these issues.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] However, it has been suggested that some people are buying crofts, with no interest at all in the land. And that they are still receiving the grant.
[Iain Stephen Morrison] I myself see people who managing to obtain crofts and the first thing they are doing is applying for a croft house grant, perhaps with no interest whatsoever in working the land or keeping livestock or growing anything. All they need is a plot on which to build a house and I personally think it is wrong that people like that should receive support.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] But behind all of that, there’s a big question facing the government and the croft house grant is a large part of the answer to that question.
[Iain Stephen Morrison] Does the government want people to work crofts? Does it want young people to work crofts? Do they want people to live in crofting communities? If so, a scheme such as this is crucial because without it, some people would barely manage.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] The meeting with the Minister for Rural Affairs at the end of the month should be an interesting one. Angus MacDonald, BBC An Là in Lewis.