An ambitious three-year Gaelic plan has been launched in Glasgow, which will see the opening of a second Gaelic school and wider use of the language on council signs and in communication documents such as forms, press releases and letters.

Research had revealed that Gaelic education was so popular that eight out of 10 pupils learning it in Glasgow came from English-speaking families, a council spokeswoman said.

A recent survey of council staff found that more than half of respondents - 53 per cent - knew someone who spoke the language and 10 per cent (158 people) said they had some Gaelic skills, with most being able to understand it. Forty-three per cent were interested in receiving further information about learning Gaelic.

Councillor Aileen Colleran said: “By 2020, the place of Gaelic will be obvious to all. We’ll see it around us - in our buildings, on our streets and in our shops.”