That was the stark conclusion of a book-length study published in the summer. But momentum is building to reverse this decline, and those at the top are open to radical proposals. Scotland’s Finance Secretary Kate Forbes told The Herald she would support the idea of housing developments reserved for Gaelic speakers. She fears parts of the Highlands and islands could become retirement villages or ghost towns amid a rise in second homes. Ms Forbes, a fluent Gaelic speaker, emphasised the importance of communities driving change, but said there’s certainly an appetite in the Scottish Government to “do whatever it takes”.