Legislation Committee No. 5

Proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Welsh Language) Order 2009

Consultation Responses

IG9(i) Peter Keohane

1) I am generally in favour of the promotion of the Welsh language, but I think there has to be some careful consideration given in the employment area where often it appears that Welsh speakers might get a better chance in certain sectors than others , I understand the advantage and indeed need to employ more welsh speakers in the Assembly in particular, though there should be a quota system worked out so that those in the South do not feel the threat of Discrimination real or otherwise, its going to be a topic picked up upon by enemies of the Assembly Government, both Tories and Labour.

Why not ditch the need to have bi-lingual signs for the obvious place names? - Parc Y Scarlets is an obvious example, I don’t speak Welsh yet I've no problem with that name, why does it need to be repeated in English..... there are literally thousands of more examples... like wise I have no difficulty with Stryd...Banc...without the accompanying Street...Bank

2) All services should be available bilingually?.I cant understand any real objection, the greater familiarity you have with a language on a daily level the grater its acceptance.

3) It would be a disgrace if it was ever felt a person could not speak their own language in public, as long as it was never used to deliberately isolate or intimidate others.