Dyfodol i’r Iaith has reacted angrily to the latest budget announcement. It became apparent that the Welsh language will receive no further funding during 2020-21 as indicated in the Welsh Language Minister’s paper. Dyfodol i’r Iaith suggests that this falls far short of the funding levels necessary to reach the Government’s own target of a million Welsh speakers.

Heini Gruffudd, the organisation’s Chair said:

‘Although the Minister’s paper deals with many of the essential action points, the absence of extra funding means that the situation will remain static or deteriorate. The language targets call for careful planning and long-tern investment, but instead of that, it seems that the language remains a peripheral concern which has again been neglected.

The Government will shortly appoint a language expert to lead its language planning programme and we call upon whoever is appointed to undertake an urgent needs assessment, noting the level of funding that will be necessary.

We believe that priority must be given to teaching Welsh in the workplace – particularly in the fields of childcare, education and local government. Then we must have an ambitious programme of community projects to facilitate Welsh-speakers to use their language within their various communities.

We are also concerned that there is no capital funding available for the Welsh language, and priority also needs to be given to the support of Welsh Language Centres, and this will not be possible without capital aid.’

This year, the organisation will be pressing for adequate funding to support a comprehensive programme aimed at planning the regeneration of the language and will be working with the Government to ensure this.