The Welsh Government Short Changes The Welsh Tongue - Welsh Language Society Condemns and Calls For Action

As reported by Transceltic in April of this year, the Welsh government’s response to issues raised in two separate independent reports on the future of the Welsh tongue were attacked by the Welsh Language Society (Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg) and the Party Of Wales (Plaid Cymru). At the time Robin Farrar, Chair of the Welsh Language Society, characterised the government’s response to the findings of two separate commissions as a “complete farce”, stating: “They (the Welsh Government) continue to delay and refuse to make important changes.  They have chosen to ignore or reject any recommendations that would make a real difference …Carwyn Jones continues to delay and ignore the fundamental changes – needed – it’s high time he took the Welsh language seriously.”  Plaid Cymru Welsh Language spokesman Simon Thomas also attacked Jones saying he was deeply disappointed by the insignificant response by Jones to the issues raised in the reports.  Both men were quotedat the time in a BBC article under the headline “Vision for the Welsh Language Later in Spring Says Jones – A New Vision…”.

Under pressure, it now seems that the best the First Minister can come up with is a paltry £ 1. 6 million  of a projected 2014-2015 budget of  £ 15.3 billion. The reaction to the announcement by the Welsh Language Society (Cymdeithas yr Iaith) was swift and condemnatory. Robing Farrar, spokesman, made the following statement on the Society's web page:

"The report says that the Welsh language will be core to the definition of sustainability in the Future Generations Bill - this is encouraging but there is no move to make the language a material consideration within the planning system. There is further delay and a lack of ambition in terms of education, we are calling for Welsh education for all - there is no clear aim, and no reference to the foundation phase. And although the figure of a £1.2 million investment in the Welsh language, there is only a  £400,000 increase - the rest is money being shifted around, and not extra money. "It is clear that the Government understands what areas need to be addressed but there are no significant steps, or bold and innovative plans still, and there's no detail. We will consider Carwyn Jones’ statement, and its flaws, in a conference on the 4th July here in Cardiff Bay. It will be a conference of action, open to the public.”.     

http://www.newswales.co.uk/index.cfm?section=Culture&F=1&id=27391

http://cymdeithas.org/node/5163

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-27885539

http://www.transceltic.com/blog/welsh-language-activists-deeply-disappointed-governments-farcical-new-vision-welsh-tongue