Fight for a Welsh Language Daily newspaper taken to the 'Royal' Welsh Show

Today, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg will be putting the case for a Welsh language daily newspaper before the National Assembly's Petition's Committee which meets at the Royal Show in Llanelwedd today. Cymdeithas had launched a petition following the announcement made by the Heritage Minister, Rhodri Glyn Thomas last February that there would only be a £200,000 annual grant towards the development of the welsh language press.

Hywel Griffiths, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg said,

"We will be presenting evidence which will emphasise yet again that the Welsh Assembly Government broke its promise concerning the establishment of a Welsh language newspaper. There was a clear and unambiguous commitment in the One Wales document to establish a Welsh language daily newspaper. This would have contributed greatly to our identity and confidence as a nation, and it would have encouraged a great number of people to learn Welsh. The replacement package offered instead of a daily Welsh language newspaper is aimed at those who are privileged to have access to the world wide web, be that at home or in the work place. The service will not be available for those who are not able to make use of the website. We only nedd to look to continent to see that Wales is behind the times."

Within a fortnight of Rhodri Glyn Thomas's announcement that there would be no Welsh language newspaper Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg had collected over 1,000 signatures on a petition criticising his decision.

Sioned Haf, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg's Campaigns Officer said:

"The announcement was a terrible blow to those who had campaigned for a Welsh language daily newspaper. The announcement betrayed the Welsh Assembly Government's lack of commitment to the Welsh language. The vision that drove those who campaigned for a Welsh language daily newspaper was a cause of great optimism a showed a showed a wish to see the normalisation of Welsh in the life of Wales. But this new found optimism was destroyed by the Welsh Assembly Government. Our hope is that the Petition's committee will be able to throw some light on the matter."

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