News | Sun 31st Jul 2005 |
Plaid slams 'cavalier' attitude to Welsh language
Plaid slams 'cavalier' attitude to Welsh language

Current rules on the position of the Welsh language are "weak and ineffective", Plaid Cymru has said.

The nationalists also said on Monday that ministers had displayed a "cavalier" attitude to the language.

There should be a new Welsh Language Act with the Cardiff assembly becoming the responsible legislative body, the party proposed.

Among other changes, Plaid Cymru is also calling for Welsh to become an official EU language on a par with Irish.

Plaid president Dafydd Iwan pointed to the failure of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to provide bilingual pub-licensing forms as proof of the shortcomings of the current system.

"The present act is weak and ineffective in ensuring equal status for Welsh and English, stating that the Welsh and English languages are equal under certain circumstances only," he said.

"The recent failure by the DCMS to prepare documents in bilingual form under the New Licensing Act is a blatant example of the weakness of the present Language Act, and of the cavalier attitude of government.

"We also need to involve the private sector in a meaningful way, and I believe the private sector would welcome robust and clear guidance in the use of the Welsh language."

MP Hywel Williams said the aim was for Wales to become "a model of functioning and sustainable bilingualism".

And Caernarfon AM Alun Ffred Jones said: "There is more to a bilingual Wales than forms and documents in two languages.

"We wish to see an increase the use of Welsh in all walks of life, be that in the home, at work or in the local community.

"All citizens must have the right and opportunity to use either English or Welsh."