PLANS to install a non-native speaker as head of a Gaelic school in Inverness have come under fire.

Highland Council cannot find a fluent Gael to be head-teacher at the £4 million Bun-sgoil Ghaidhlig Inbhir Nis. The current acting head is from Sweden.

It is a non-teaching post with a salary of almost £50,000, but attempts to attract a native Gael have been unsuccessful over two years. So it has been decided to widen the net and learners of the language will now be considered.

Dawn Morgan, of Comann nam Parant Inbhir Nis, the body that represents parents of children at the school, said: "Critics of expenditure on Gaelic have argued that if the Gaelic community wants Gaelic to survive, the community needs to speak it to themselves and their children. This is what we are trying to do, but our efforts will be undermined if a non-Gaelic speaker is appointed as a permanent headteacher."

Alasdair Christie, chairman of Highland Council's adult and children's services committee, said opening up the post to learners had produced only two applications and one had already withdrawn.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "The employment of teachers is a matter for the local authority. The Scottish Government has provided support to Highland Council to assist with the delivery of Gaelic medium education, and for support for teachers and pupils."

Meanwhile, two public bodies – VisitScotland and Historic Scotland – have published their first Gaelic language plan, showing how they intend to use the language increasingly in their everyday work.