[Innes Rothach – Neach-aithris] Feuchaidh Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd ri barrachd ionmhais fhaighinn airson stad a chur air crìonadh sluaigh anns a’ cheann a tuath agus cuideachd airson rathaidean na sgìre a chàradh gu ceart. Tha ceannard na comhairle, Mairead NicDhàibhidh, a’ sireadh choinneamhan le Riaghaltas na h-Alba agus Riaghaltas na Rìoghachd Aonaichte agus ag iarraidh aonta maoineachaidh ùr, coltach ris an aonta baile a fhuair Inbhir Nis airson piseach a thoirt air pàirtean eile den a’ Ghàidhealtachd. Bhruidhinn mi ris an tè-naidheachd againne, Magaidh NicFhiongain, agus mhìnich i dhomh na pròiseactan a chaidh am maoineachadh fo aonta bhaile Inbhir Nis.
[Magaidh NicFhiongain – Neach-naidheachd] Uill, seo Caisteal Inbhir Nis air mo chùlaibh agus an-dràsta, tha Taigh na Cùirte am broinn an togalaiche seo agus tha iadsan a’ dol a bhith a’ gluasad a-mach às an ceann dà mhìos. Tha iad a’ gluasad gu togalach ùr, spaideil, shìos air Rathad an Longman agus aon uair ’s gu bheil iadsan a-mach, tha seo a’ dol a bhith faighinn sgeadachadh agus sgioblachadh agus tha e a’ dol a bhith ga chleachdadh mar àite airson ealain agus cultair agus sin am-measg cuid dhe na rudan a fhuair airgead às an aonta baile. Cuideachd chaidh Rathad, Cearcall Rathad an Longman a chur air adhart cuideachd, a chionn ’s an-dràsta, uaireannan, tha e caran duilich a thaobh cus trafaig agus tha iad a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn flyover a chruthachadh ann an shin son cuisean a dhèanamh nas fhasa, son daoine a’ tighinn far Drochaid Kessock agus a-staigh dhan a’ bhaile. Cuideachd, tha iad ag obair air rathad taobh sear a’ bhaile agus tha iad ag obair air ionadan airson companaidhean a chur air dòigh aig seann làrach sgudail an Longman. Nis, sin pròiseactan ann an Inbhir Nis agus bha cuid dhe dhaoine ag ràdh gun robh cus air a chur air dòigh airson Inbhir Nis agus nach robh sìon airson na sgìrean taobh a-muigh a’ bhaile.
[Magaidh NicFhiongain – Neach-naidheachd] Dè ma-thà a tha ceannard a’ chomhairle a’ moladh airson na sgìrean taobh a-muigh Inbhir Nis?
[Magaidh NicFhiongain – Neach-naidheachd] Uill, tha Mairead NicDhàibhidh mothachail air a’ chrìonadh sluaigh a tha a’ dol air feadh na Gàidhealtachd, ach gu h-àraidh ann an sgìrean iomallach agus tha ise airson ’s gum bi cosnaidhean air an cruthachadh air an àitean gu h-àraidh ann an ceann a tuath na dùthcha. Seo statistic dhut, Innes, can ann an Gallaibh, an ceann fichead bliadhna, tha crìonadh sluaigh de fhichead per cent a’ dol a bhith againne. Nis, tha tòrr an sin, agus mar sin, feumaidh a’ chomhairle rudeigin a dhèanamh mu dheidhinn agus tha ise a’ bruidhinn cuideachd mu dheidhinn ionad niùclasach Dhùn Ràth. Nis, mar a tha fhios againn, tha decomisineadh a’ dol an sin an-dràst’ ach bha cosnaidhean math’ ri fhaighinn ann an shin is tha ise ag iarraidh, rudan, cosnaidhean math’ a bhith anns na sgìrean iomallach sin. Bha i cuideachd a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn rathaidean, mar a tha fhios againn, ma tha thusa a’ dràibheadh ann an àite sam bith air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, tha na rathaidean gu math dona ann an cuid de sgìrean agus aig an ìre-sa, feumaidh a’ chomhairle dà cheud millean not a chosg air obair càraidh air na rathaidean. Is mar sin, tha iad feumach air tòrr airgid agus mar sin, tha ise a’ dol a bhruidhinn ri Riaghaltas Westminster agus Riaghaltas Holyrood airson feuchainn ri toirt orra beagan a thoirt dhi. Nis, ’s e a’ cheist am faigh i èisteachd agus gu h-àraidh le comhairlean eile air feadh na dùthcha leis an aon seòrsa duain.
[Innes Munro – Anchor] Highland Council will try to get more finance to stop population decline in the north and also to fix the roads properly. The leader of the council, Margaret Davidson, is seeking meetings with the Scottish Government and the Westminster Government and wants a new finance deal, like the Inverness city deal to bring prosperity to other parts of the Highlands. I spoke to our journalist, Maggie MacKinnon and she explained to me the projects that were funded under the Inverness city deal.
[Maggie MacKinnon – Journalist] Well, this is Inverness Castle behind me just now, the Court House is inside this building and they are going to move out of it in two months. They are moving to a smart, new building, down on Longman Road and as soon as they are out, this is going to be decorated and tidied and it is going to be used as a place for art and culture and this is amongst some of the things that got money from the city deal. Also, the road, the Longman Ringway was put forward too, as sometimes, it is quite challenging as there is too much traffic and they are talking about creating a flyover there to make things easier for people coming off the Kessock Bridge and into the city.Also, they are also working on a road on the east of the city and they are working to set up units for companies on the old Longman rubbish site. Now, that’s the projects in Inverness and lots of people were saying that too much was done for Inverness and there wasn’t anything for the areas outside the city.
[Maggie MacKinnon – Journalist] What, then, does the council leader recommend for the areas outside Inverness?
[Maggie MacKinnon – Journalist] Well, Margaret Davidson is aware of the population decline which is happening all over the Highlands and especially in the remote areas and she would like jobs to be created in the areas and especially in the north of the country. Here’s a statistic for you, Innes, say in Caithness, within twenty years, we will have 20% decline in population. Now, there’s a lot there and, as such, the council must do something about it and she is also talking about the Dounreay nuclear plant. Now, as we know, decommissioning is happening there just now and you could get good jobs there and she is wanting, things, good jobs to be in those remote areas. She was also talking about roads, as we know, if you are driving in any area in the Highlands, the roads are really bad in many of the areas and at this stage, the council must spend £200 million on roadworks. And as such, they need more money and so she is going to speak to the Westminster Government and Holyrood Government to try and get them to give her a little. Now the question is whether she will be listened to and especially as councils all over the country with the same sort of story.
[Innes Rothach – Neach-aithris] Feuchaidh Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd ri barrachd ionmhais fhaighinn airson stad a chur air crìonadh sluaigh anns a’ cheann a tuath agus cuideachd airson rathaidean na sgìre a chàradh gu ceart. Tha ceannard na comhairle, Mairead NicDhàibhidh, a’ sireadh choinneamhan le Riaghaltas na h-Alba agus Riaghaltas na Rìoghachd Aonaichte agus ag iarraidh aonta maoineachaidh ùr, coltach ris an aonta baile a fhuair Inbhir Nis airson piseach a thoirt air pàirtean eile den a’ Ghàidhealtachd. Bhruidhinn mi ris an tè-naidheachd againne, Magaidh NicFhiongain, agus mhìnich i dhomh na pròiseactan a chaidh am maoineachadh fo aonta bhaile Inbhir Nis.
[Magaidh NicFhiongain – Neach-naidheachd] Uill, seo Caisteal Inbhir Nis air mo chùlaibh agus an-dràsta, tha Taigh na Cùirte am broinn an togalaiche seo agus tha iadsan a’ dol a bhith a’ gluasad a-mach às an ceann dà mhìos. Tha iad a’ gluasad gu togalach ùr, spaideil, shìos air Rathad an Longman agus aon uair ’s gu bheil iadsan a-mach, tha seo a’ dol a bhith faighinn sgeadachadh agus sgioblachadh agus tha e a’ dol a bhith ga chleachdadh mar àite airson ealain agus cultair agus sin am-measg cuid dhe na rudan a fhuair airgead às an aonta baile. Cuideachd chaidh Rathad, Cearcall Rathad an Longman a chur air adhart cuideachd, a chionn ’s an-dràsta, uaireannan, tha e caran duilich a thaobh cus trafaig agus tha iad a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn flyover a chruthachadh ann an shin son cuisean a dhèanamh nas fhasa, son daoine a’ tighinn far Drochaid Kessock agus a-staigh dhan a’ bhaile. Cuideachd, tha iad ag obair air rathad taobh sear a’ bhaile agus tha iad ag obair air ionadan airson companaidhean a chur air dòigh aig seann làrach sgudail an Longman. Nis, sin pròiseactan ann an Inbhir Nis agus bha cuid dhe dhaoine ag ràdh gun robh cus air a chur air dòigh airson Inbhir Nis agus nach robh sìon airson na sgìrean taobh a-muigh a’ bhaile.
[Magaidh NicFhiongain – Neach-naidheachd] Dè ma-thà a tha ceannard a’ chomhairle a’ moladh airson na sgìrean taobh a-muigh Inbhir Nis?
[Magaidh NicFhiongain – Neach-naidheachd] Uill, tha Mairead NicDhàibhidh mothachail air a’ chrìonadh sluaigh a tha a’ dol air feadh na Gàidhealtachd, ach gu h-àraidh ann an sgìrean iomallach agus tha ise airson ’s gum bi cosnaidhean air an cruthachadh air an àitean gu h-àraidh ann an ceann a tuath na dùthcha. Seo statistic dhut, Innes, can ann an Gallaibh, an ceann fichead bliadhna, tha crìonadh sluaigh de fhichead per cent a’ dol a bhith againne. Nis, tha tòrr an sin, agus mar sin, feumaidh a’ chomhairle rudeigin a dhèanamh mu dheidhinn agus tha ise a’ bruidhinn cuideachd mu dheidhinn ionad niùclasach Dhùn Ràth. Nis, mar a tha fhios againn, tha decomisineadh a’ dol an sin an-dràst’ ach bha cosnaidhean math’ ri fhaighinn ann an shin is tha ise ag iarraidh, rudan, cosnaidhean math’ a bhith anns na sgìrean iomallach sin. Bha i cuideachd a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn rathaidean, mar a tha fhios againn, ma tha thusa a’ dràibheadh ann an àite sam bith air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, tha na rathaidean gu math dona ann an cuid de sgìrean agus aig an ìre-sa, feumaidh a’ chomhairle dà cheud millean not a chosg air obair càraidh air na rathaidean. Is mar sin, tha iad feumach air tòrr airgid agus mar sin, tha ise a’ dol a bhruidhinn ri Riaghaltas Westminster agus Riaghaltas Holyrood airson feuchainn ri toirt orra beagan a thoirt dhi. Nis, ’s e a’ cheist am faigh i èisteachd agus gu h-àraidh le comhairlean eile air feadh na dùthcha leis an aon seòrsa duain.
[Innes Munro – Anchor] Highland Council will try to get more finance to stop population decline in the north and also to fix the roads properly. The leader of the council, Margaret Davidson, is seeking meetings with the Scottish Government and the Westminster Government and wants a new finance deal, like the Inverness city deal to bring prosperity to other parts of the Highlands. I spoke to our journalist, Maggie MacKinnon and she explained to me the projects that were funded under the Inverness city deal.
[Maggie MacKinnon – Journalist] Well, this is Inverness Castle behind me just now, the Court House is inside this building and they are going to move out of it in two months. They are moving to a smart, new building, down on Longman Road and as soon as they are out, this is going to be decorated and tidied and it is going to be used as a place for art and culture and this is amongst some of the things that got money from the city deal. Also, the road, the Longman Ringway was put forward too, as sometimes, it is quite challenging as there is too much traffic and they are talking about creating a flyover there to make things easier for people coming off the Kessock Bridge and into the city.Also, they are also working on a road on the east of the city and they are working to set up units for companies on the old Longman rubbish site. Now, that’s the projects in Inverness and lots of people were saying that too much was done for Inverness and there wasn’t anything for the areas outside the city.
[Maggie MacKinnon – Journalist] What, then, does the council leader recommend for the areas outside Inverness?
[Maggie MacKinnon – Journalist] Well, Margaret Davidson is aware of the population decline which is happening all over the Highlands and especially in the remote areas and she would like jobs to be created in the areas and especially in the north of the country. Here’s a statistic for you, Innes, say in Caithness, within twenty years, we will have 20% decline in population. Now, there’s a lot there and, as such, the council must do something about it and she is also talking about the Dounreay nuclear plant. Now, as we know, decommissioning is happening there just now and you could get good jobs there and she is wanting, things, good jobs to be in those remote areas. She was also talking about roads, as we know, if you are driving in any area in the Highlands, the roads are really bad in many of the areas and at this stage, the council must spend £200 million on roadworks. And as such, they need more money and so she is going to speak to the Westminster Government and Holyrood Government to try and get them to give her a little. Now the question is whether she will be listened to and especially as councils all over the country with the same sort of story.