Yearly Archives: 2020

DYFODOL’S WORK AND COVID-19

Reply

In the face of the Covid-19 crisis, the priority for us all is to stay healthy, safe and keep ourselves in balance.

Throughout this difficult time Dyfodol i’r Iaith will continue to work for the good of the Welsh language. We believe that we can do this appropriately, safely and effectively. Our staff work from home and we will remain in constant touch with each other, our members and, of course, the politicians.

Although we will not be holding any public meetings until it is safe to do so, we will stay in touch with our members and supporters. We shall try to turn the current challenge into an opportunity to work on a strategic response to the needs of the Welsh language and to influence the parties’ manifestos for the 2021 Assembly Elections. We would greatly appreciate your contribution to this process.

Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing our ideas and asking for your comments on various priorities and consultation responses. We hope that you may appreciate this as being a good use of the time freed up by social distancing or self-isolation.

Despite the circumstances, we will carry on determinedly and creatively, and, needless to say, we greatly appreciate your support.

 

A CALL FOR A NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMWORK WHICH CONTRIBUTES THE SUCCESS OF THE WELSH LANGUAGE

2

The National Development Framework 2020-2040 is expected to be published this summer. This document will set the direction for town and country planning throughout Wales, and according to Dyfodol i’r Iaith, it will have a significant implications for the Welsh language.

Wyn Thomas, a member of Dyfodol’s Board said:

“This Framework will provide a blueprint for planning over the Welsh Language Strategy’s timetable, and so one would expect it to make a positive contribution towards the Government’s aim of creating a million Welsh speakers. Unfortunately, the document in its present form misses several opportunities to do this.

The Framework gives no special consideration to Welsh-speaking areas and communities for example, and unlike the environment, the language has no Statutory Consultee to defend it. We believe that the Welsh Language Commissioner should be supported and enabled to take on this important and highly specialised duty.

As the Senedd discusses the Framework over the coming months, we are concerned that this lack of protection and expertise will undermine the consideration given to the Welsh language and the opportunity to safeguard its future within the planning system. It does not bode well that that the Housing and Local Government Minister is unwilling to discuss our concerns.

We fear that the detailed scrutiny that is necessary in relation to the language implications of the Framework will fall upon a very small number of committed Assembly Members. The relationship between town and country planning and the Welsh language is far to important to be overlooked – it is a significant issue for the whole nation.

Dyfodol have written to all the Assembly Members to draw attention to this and raise awareness of the basic principle of a planning system which supports the Government’s own committment to the Welsh language.”

A CALL TO INCREASE SPENDING ON TEACHING THE WELSH LANGUAFE IN THE COMMUNITY

Reply

Ruth Richards, Chief Executive of Dyfodol i’r Iaith said:

“As an organisation, we are concerned about comments made in the Senedd on 28 January by Eluned Morgan, The Welsh Language and International Relations Minister..

“Eluned Morgan seem to question the value of learning the Welsh language within the community. We need to celebrate that 12,680 learners are doing just that all over Wales under the guidance of professional tutors.

“We need to strengthen the provision of learning the language within the community, and it would be good to see the Government following the example of the Basque Country and investing in this this key area.

“In the long-term, spending on the teaching of Welsh in the community and the workplace need to increase threefold, but for the time being, we would press the Government to protect and increase the spending in real terms.”

Eluned Morgan said in the Senedd, 28 January 2020:

“I wanted to look closely at teaching Welsh to adults – they receive £13 million and they teach about 12,000 people. I just want to look at this, and it takes up a lot of the budget; I want to ensure that this money is spent correctly.”