Iaith Pawb Annual Debate

Speech by Eleanor Burnham AM delivered to Welsh Assembly Iaith Pawb Annual Debate 2006 on Wed 12th Jul 2006

Progress in general should not distract us from success in specifics. What I do not see in this report is the clarity of vision and hunger for real achievement that existed when Iaith Pawb was launched by my colleague Jenny Randerson as Culture Minister in the partnership government.

As Welsh Liberal Democrats we feel a special responsibility for Iaith Pawb. This report sets out many positive achievements and I do not want to bury this report in opportunism and as some others might seek to do.

A new and evolving consensus that the Minister must join:

The debate on the Welsh Language has progressed since the publication of Iaith Pawb and this Government has failed to move with it.

Today the opposition parties have put aside our differences to do what we believe is best for the Language and for Wales. I invite the minister to engage with the new consensus that is being built.

The Ministers bungling over the abolition of the Welsh Language Board is a prime example of why this Assembly Government cannot be entrusted with the future the Welsh Language all by itself. His brief statement put out last week was timid and cowardly and is another example of his poor leadership.

The report today includes many of the fine achievements of the Welsh Language Board, achievements I am not convinced the Government has the flair, imagination or leadership to replicate. We must retain the Board and its expertise. It does fine work and I see no reason to scrap a body that work and merge it with a Government that doesn't.

The need for new legislation:

In their rush to torch the quangos the Assembly Government are risking burning down the house.

I propose amendment 9 because we need a new Welsh language act to extend incorporate those services that have left the public sector since the language act was passed. It's a game of catch-up that this minister has been reluctant to proceed with.

I propose amendment 10 because whilst this debate today is, as with all debates in the Senedd, informative, lively, entertaining and meaningful; without real legislative power to do something all we are contributing too is global warming.

All powers over the Welsh Language must be devolved to this National Assembly. This is where Iaith Pawb comes from, this is where the Language Board answers too, and this is the body people look to for leadership and action on language issues.

The importance of language rights:

It is noticeable that chapter 1.5 of this years report is entitled "The Individual and Language Rights" and yet does not discuss language rights again. That is because this Minister has made a strange and arrogant virtue of refusing to engage with this principle.

If we are to create a genuinely bi lingual nation then it must be on the basis of equality. That is why we are proposing amendment 8. We believe that the principle of linguistic rights should play a key part in the Assembly Government's aim of creating a bilingual nation.

As a liberal, I think it's correct that we see the development and promotion of opportunities to use Welsh within the broad area of civil rights. Giving people language rights will empower them to drive the growth of the language. It is one thing for the state to show people the benefits of the language; it is another to put them in possession of it.

We have reached an impasse. As people's appetite for greater rights grow the Assembly Government becomes more reluctant. It is, to borrow a phrase, a case of public will and political won't."

Eleanor Burnham AM

Welsh Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Welsh Language

July 11th 2006