Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ

Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ is a national language that belongs to all communities in Wales, and in the National Eisteddfod in Pontypridd today, the Commission for Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ-speaking Communities launched a comprehensive report recommending strategic policy interventions to strengthen the Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ language in communities where a high percentage of the population speaks the language. The designation of 'areas of higher density linguistic significance' is central to the proposals to protect and strengthen Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ as a thriving community language.

The Commission makes 57 recommendations in several key policy areas, including:

• Designating 'areas of higher density linguistic significance' to recognise communities where there is a high percentage of Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ speakers, and to ensure greater consideration for Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ in policy developments, the ability to vary policy, and to support the effective use of Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ at community level. The Commission recommends two ways of designating these areas, namely that the Government designates areas where over 40% of the population speaks Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ, and also gives local authorities the discretion to designate specific areas where appropriate;
• Addressing the housing crisis within Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ-speaking communities, advocating housing developments based on local needs and community-led housing initiatives. There is also a call to set up a low-interest loan fund or equity scheme to assist community groups to purchase land or property.
• Supporting models of community development that promote community initiatives and shared ownership.
• Developing language planning strategies for communities facing a language shift.

The other recommendations address issues affecting Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ language communities, including community development, workplaces, the economy, education and equality. The report also includes a detailed analysis of the results of the 2021 Census. 

The Commission was established by the Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖin summer 2022 to respond to the declining percentage of Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ speakers in communities where the majority of the population speaks the language, or where this has been the case until relatively recently.

Commission Chair Dr Simon Brooks said: 

It is a privilege to present the report to the Government, which is the culmination of two years of work developing policy proposals in relation to the future of Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ-speaking communities. To ensure that Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ is a national language that belongs to us all, its future as a community language must be secured. The Commission's recommendations aim to do just that. By working together, we can ensure a vibrant and prosperous future for Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ-speaking communities across the country.

The First Minister, Eluned Morgan, said: 

Establishing the Commission for Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ-speaking Communities was a vital step in our commitment to strengthening the Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ language in its heartlands. I want to thank the Commission for its work and dedication. We will now carefully consider the findings and recommendations before responding to the report.

Also today, the Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖannounced the Commission's second phase, which is to look at the position of the Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ language within other communities in Wales and beyond.

The First Minister added: 

Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ is our national language and it belongs to all of us. I have asked the Commission to look at the use of Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ in all areas of Wales and beyond.

We want more people to use more Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ every day – to do that, we need more opportunities to use it in everyday life and socially. I can't think of anywhere better to launch the next phase of the Commission’s work than here in Pontypridd, a town with a thriving Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ language social scene, thanks to the vision and dedication of a group of hard-working volunteers.

The Commission's second phase will also be chaired by Dr Simon Brooks, and the final report will be published in summer 2026.