A taxpayer has challenged local SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson over the amount of money spent on promoting Gaelic.

Mr Peter McGlone of West Kilbride has criticised the Scottish government over expenditure on Gaelic, including a proliferation of road and travel signs.

In a letter to the Largs & Millport Weekly News Mr McGlone responded to Mr Gibson's defence of promoting the Gaelic language.

He wrote: "Kenneth's response does not address concerns that myself and thousands of others, who are wakening up to the situation, are raising. It is typical of a politician who has to defend the indefensible in that he has to trivialise and distort the true position.

"He indicates that of the �195 million government budget for Gaelic and Culture, only (yes only),�25 million a year is being spent on Gaelic promotion. Given the austerity measures and cut backs that the country and every council is facing this is completely unreasonable. This would more than offset the measures the whole of Ayrshire is facing and, who in the SNP government will ensure that only �25m will disappear from the �195m?"

Mr McGlone stated: "He trivialises the complaint about thousands of roads signs appearing with Gaelic on them as being only a few bilingual for "routes leading to Western Isle ferry ports." This is nonsense. Last year I went up west to Loch Ness. From Glasgow boundary, virtually all signs were changed. I also visited relatives up north near Kinloss. Same thing."

Mr McGlone's full letter is on a page of readers' views in the Largs & Millport News of May 9, 2012.