The favoured candidate for the Welsh Language Commissioner role has said that her main concern is to increase the use of the language. At a pre-appointment hearing before the Senedd Culture Committee on Thursday Efa Gruffudd Jones shared her aims if she were appointed as commissioner.
During the hearing she said that the census of 2021 would "drive some of those priorities". The census in 2011 showed that there had been a decrease in Welsh-language speakers with the number dropping from 582,000 in 2001 to 562,000 despite the population increasing in Wales.
Ms Jones suggested that more attention was needed to promote the use of the language as well as the development of language standards and regulation. "I truly feel that it is a privilege and a responsibility to be in this position today," she said.
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"I know I have a great deal to learn about the Welsh language measure and procedure but I am very pleased to have this opportunity today just to share some of my experience and my aspirations." She added: "In all roles I've held in the past there's one thing that has driven me in that work, namely my desire to see the Welsh language prosper in Wales.
"I hope that I've taken previous opportunities to increase the opportunities available to people to learn and to use the Welsh language so that's what inspires me on a day-to-day basis... My aspiration would be to look at how the role and the measure could be used to its full potential in order to increase the use of the Welsh language and to ensure its viability."
The favoured candidate also went on to talk about how the language should not only be a matter of concern to public institutions but also provide opportunities for people to use it in their everyday lives. She also noted that she would like to develop opportunities for people to attend more Welsh language events as currently "opportunities to go to monolingual events are not extensive".
The appointment comes after the death of former Welsh Language Commissioner, Aled Roberts, who died in February this year. Following his death his deputy Gwenith Price took on the role's responsibilities.
For the last 18 years Ms Jones has been the former chief executive of the youth movement Urdd Gobaith Cymru as well as Y Ganolfan Dysgu Cymraeg Cenedlaethol (the National Centre for Learning Welsh). In response to Ms Jones becoming the favoured candidate Welsh language pressure group Cymdeithas yr Iaith said that she had a "great deal of work to do" to ensure that standards were imposed on more organisations.
Aled Powell, Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s language rights spokesman, said: "The government has been painfully slow in bringing forward standards for new bodies such as the water companies, public transport, and housing associations – organisations who provide vital services in people's everyday lives.
"There are draft standards that have been sitting on the Welsh language minister’s desk for many months. The new commissioner will need to use her influence to ensure that government resources are prioritised to speed up the process – it’s high time the civil service puts in the resources to end all the delays we’ve seen in passing new standards."
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