FIRST MINISTER IGNORING THE BIG CONFERENCE

Dyfodol i’r Iaith (Future for the Language) has alleged that the First Minister is ignoring the main conclusions of the Big Conference on the Welsh language, held in July this year .
“According the Big Conference the most significant challenge to the Welsh language is the shifting population and the need for economic policies, housing and planning policies , educational policies and community development policies to meet this challenge,” said Heini Gruffudd , chairman of  Dyfodol.
Dyfodol is concerned that a statement by the First Minister on 12th November does nothing to address this major challenge. Dyfodol further asserts that the First Minister in his statement repeats Government policies that had already been published before the Big Conference .
Dyfodol has written to the First Minister to seek clarification on the statement. Letter to FM

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Dyfodol had a constructive meeting with the First Minister Carwyn Jones at the National Eisteddfod field in Denbigh on Monday 5th August.

Dyfodol i’r Iaith have asked the First Minister to include the Welsh language on the face of the proposed Planning Bill. Carwyn Jones had a conversation with the organisation’s President, Bethan Jones Parry; the Chair, Heini Gruffudd and Secretary, Simon Brooks.

The organisation presented a document to the First Minister on the relationship between the sustainability of the Welsh language and planning.

Planning and the Welsh language

The sustainability of the Welsh language is integral to planning. As a result, a robust framework needs to be developed to assess the impact of potential developments on the language. There are several examples of developments that have resulted in the Welsh language being weakened as a community language.  Again there are examples of  planning where the the language has been strengthened. Continue reading →

Welsh language group Dyfodol i’r Iaith welcome the fact the First Minister Carwyn Jones will now be responsible for the Welsh language. This will give the language a status across the whole range of the government’s work. Dyfodol hope that the First Minister will offer leadership to his  ministers in the cabinet with regard to the Welsh Language. Chair of Dyfodol, Heini Gruffudd, said “The Welsh language needs to be considered across all government portfolios, from the economy to planning, from education to health, from housing to communities. With the responsibility for the Welsh language sitting within the First Minister’s office I am confident that the language will have appropriate attention.”.

Dyfodol is looking forward to arranging an early meeting with Carwyn Jones to discuss matters relating to the language