Impact case study database

The effects of language planning and policy initiatives are usually measured over decades; meaning that they can run for a long period without refinement or improvement. By intervening early at a key stage in the existence of new Language Commissioner regimes, Cardiff researchers were able to recommend unique and timely changes, enabling both Welsh and Irish Governments to subsequently recognise the need for change and act accordingly. This has directly influenced policy initiatives in Wales, and language planning and policy in Ireland.

4.1 Language planning and policy initiatives in Wales

a. Influencing policy on Welsh language in local government employment

In 2016, the Welsh Government rejected recommendations made by its own expert working group regarding the Welsh language in public service employment and local government. Those recommendations were to legally impose minimum Welsh-language skills on every post in the local government workforce. Evidence presented by the Cardiff team [3.2] discussed, in particular, the principle that there should be a direct relationship between the requirements of the post and the language skills of the post holder. In rejecting the expert working group’s recommendations, the Welsh Government cited Cardiff’s research and evidence [5.1, p.7 ]. No other researchers presented evidence in support of this vital point regarding minimum Welsh-language expectations.

b. Reviewing the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011

Cardiff research findings on the need to revise the Welsh Language Measure were submitted as evidence to the Welsh Government consultation on a Welsh Language Bill. The researchers also shared them in confidential briefings to the Government (2014, 2015, and 2016) and the Language Commissioner (2015). They were the only researchers to call for a macro-level review of the Measure and in May 2016, Welsh Government announced its intention to revise the 2011 Measure. Cardiff provided the only academic research identified as relevant in the Government’s subsequent White Paper (August 2017) for a proposed Welsh Language Bill [5.2].

In August 2018, the Welsh Government’s Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee undertook an inquiry to better understand the impact and implementation of the 2011 Measure. This inquiry was designed to feed into the proposals for the new Welsh Language Bill. Cardiff research was submitted as evidence by Mac Giolla Chríost and cited in the Committee’s final report [5.3]. The proposed Bill did not ultimately progress but the influence of Cardiff research via the two routes noted above is evident in a subsequent announcement made by Eluned Morgan AM (Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language) in her August 2019 written response [5.4] to the Committee’s report [5.3]. The two relevant aspects of her announcement were:

i. Clarifying the roles of the Government and the Commissioner

A key recommendation from the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee aligns with Cardiff’s findings and recommendations regarding the duplication of roles. The Committee recommended that “the Welsh Government should set out clear demarcation of roles and responsibility between itself and the Welsh Language Commissioner,” and these should be “communicated clearly with stakeholders and the public” [5.3].

Accepting this recommendation, the Minister announced a Memorandum of Understanding “which provides clarity to both organisations about how we will work together, and clarity for stakeholders and the public regarding which organisation leads on which strands of work aimed at increasing the use of Welsh” [5.4]. This clarification of roles is to enable the Government and the Commissioner to “collectively achieve more […] towards the common goal of more use of Welsh” [5.4].

She also announced the creation of Prosiect 2050, a new multi-disciplinary delivery unit within the Welsh Government, to “provide greater focus and rigour in language planning, promotion and behaviour change” [5.4]. This aligns with the Cardiff team’s recommendation to create a governmental unit dedicated to developing and implementing Welsh language policy [3.3]. Prosiect 2050 will be responsible for driving Cymraeg 2050, the Government’s national language strategy.

ii. Streamlining Welsh Language Standards

In line with the Cardiff research and recommendations, the Committee’s inquiry report recommended “that the Welsh Government [should] explore options to adapt Welsh language standards … this could be done by streamlining or combining multiple standards that have the same aim or outcome” [5.3, p.5 ]. Morgan accepted this recommendation when announcing the decision to develop new standards for two sectors of relevance to large numbers of Welsh speakers: healthcare regulators and water companies. She stated that this would be implemented “in a manner which is consistent with the Committee’s recommendation with regard to adapting standards, by streamlining or combining multiple standards” [5.4].

4.2 Language planning and policy in Ireland

a. Shelf-life of Language Schemes and revision of the Official Languages Act

The Cardiff team’s 2014 paper [3.5] for the Irish Government’s review of the Official Languages Act was unique amongst the body of evidence submitted in pointing out the inadequacy of the three-year shelf-life of Schemes. It was also the only source to argue for a longer period under which the Schemes should run. These arguments were accepted in the Government’s decision to change public policy and allow individual Schemes to remain in force for over three years [5.5].

In alignment with the Cardiff research [3.5], the Irish Government's Heads of Bill of 2014 (the text noting the revisions intended for the Official Languages Act) provides for “An increase from 3 to 7 years for the period during which a language scheme remains in force” [5.6]. The Government’s review stated that this change “will considerably lessen the administrative burden in drafting, agreeing and confirming language schemes. Moreover, it will provide public bodies with an opportunity to identify and organise their priorities for the incremental improvement of services in Irish in a more strategic manner” [5.5, p.9 , 5.6].

Key players have noted the impact of the research [3.5] in the context of the revision of the Official Languages Act. Conradh na Gaeilge (the leading Irish-language lobby group) described the research as being “extremely useful” for “revising the Act” [5.7a], and the Language Commissioner noted that it provided “great insight to the difficulties specific to Language Schemes” [5.7b] and “an invaluable portrait of the way ahead for the provision of state services” [5.7b].

b. Replacing Schemes with Standards and imposing stronger duties in the Gaeltacht

Although the Heads of Bill of 2014 was stalled by political difficulties and the election of a new Government, Mac Giolla Chríost’s work [3.5] was subsequently cited in the Irish Parliament’s 2016 report that reinvigorated political debate and kept the revision of the law on the parliamentary agenda . A new Heads of Bill (June 2017) and a further Bill (December 2019) reflect his research recommendations covering the replacement of Schemes with Standards and the need for more stringent application of duties in predominantly Irish-speaking areas, as outlined below.

For example, the 2017 Heads of Bill provides for “the introduction following consultation with relevant government departments and public bodies, by Regulation, of language standards for different sectors of the public service in place of the current language scheme regime” [5.8, p.16 ]. An accompanying explanatory note stated that introducing standards will give public bodies greater clarity on their responsibilities under the Act, ensure a more coherent approach to the provision of services in the Irish language, and support organisations to embed the Irish language within their corporate identity [5.8]. The 2019 Bill includes a proposed regulatory framework for the introduction of Standards and outlines the circumstances in which the Minister “may prescribe Language Standards to apply to a public body or class of public bodies” [5.9, p.22 ].

Cardiff’s recommendation for Irish-speaking areas is also evident in the Heads of Bill’s commitment to stratifying the Standards to ensure that “organisations with an office in the Gaeltacht or with a greater interface with Irish speakers will have a greater onus to provide services in that official language” [5.8].

The changes introduced within the Official Languages (Amendment) Bill 2019, and informed by Cardiff research, ensure that Irish speakers can interact with and access public services through a high standard of Irish. On publication of the Bill, then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stated: “I believe that this legislation will make a big difference to the Irish Language and to the life of the language in this country” [5.10].