English: Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. I've given a minute to Angela Burns AM, Suzy Davies AM and David Rowlands AM, but he's not here. Right. Growing older or maturing in years is something that should be enjoyed; it is also something to be celebrated. In today's society with the use of sci-fi technology, the progress of modern medicine, a more affluent society, it cannot be beyond the realms of any nation or its Government to champion, to empower and to stand up and recognise the true value to society of these incredible people - 800,000, in fact, currently living in Wales. Out of a population size of around 3 million, this is a sizeable number, who deserve respect, are entitled to their independence, and deserve the freedom to make decisions about their own lives. Wales has previously been a pioneering nation for the interests of our older people in many ways, with the creation of the world's first older people's commissioner role in 2006. I have to pay tribute to Sarah Rochira, our commissioner now, for her outstanding work on behalf of our older citizens. However, the time has come to acknowledge these basic rights, to empower and enshrine these rights in a charter, and, as we have called for in our manifesto, some legislation that will place firmly on record what they are entitled to, that they will be protected, and they will be valued as they deserve. In order to empower older people to feel ownership of their rights and entrench positive attitudes in society and the workplace, a dedicated set of rights within the particular Welsh context is essential. In extending and promoting the rights of older people, we can support those across Wales to remain active members of the family, our community, and, indeed, our society. The overarching aim of this debate is to call for the introduction of measures, codified in law, to tackle ageism, promote ageing well and embed older people's well-being within public service delivery. Developing further from the current declaration of rights for older people in Wales, such a charter or Bill for older people would enshrine the rights of older people within Welsh law, placing a direct duty of due regard on public bodies, including the duty to consult older people when making decisions about services and issues that affect their lives. It would also place an obligation on the Welsh Government to promote knowledge of and understanding of the rights of older people across Wales. The Older People's Commissioner for Wales, Sarah Rochira, has been a real champion, and I say that twice to just endorse the work she's done. I have been mightily impressed - no fear or favour, she's stood up for the people whom she's there to represent. And she's certainly not shied away from standing up to the Government and standing up for this amazing generation when their health, their quality of life and their dignity has been compromised. The importance of such dedicated rights is clear when we look at instances where policies relating to older people have been sidelined by the Welsh Government. Just recently, we learnt that the ministerial strategy to tackle loneliness and isolation amongst older people will now not be published until next year, 2019 - too late for many of our older people. We know that loneliness is a significant public health risk. In comparison, it's actually compared to being as damaging as smoking and affects 0.5 million people in Wales. Amongst older people in particular, Age Cymru have found that 300,000 individuals feel that their days can be repetitive and 75,000 were not looking forward to our last Christmas.
Welsh: Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Rwyf wedi rhoi munud i Angela Burns AC, Suzy Davies AC a David Rowlands AC, ond nid yw ef yma. Iawn. Mae tyfu'n hŷn neu aeddfedu mewn oed yn rhywbeth y dylid ei fwynhau; mae hefyd yn rhywbeth i'w ddathlu. Yng nghymdeithas heddiw gyda'r defnydd o dechnoleg wyddonol, cynnydd mewn meddygaeth fodern, cymdeithas fwy cefnog, ni all fod y tu hwnt i allu unrhyw genedl neu ei Llywodraeth i hyrwyddo, i rymuso ac i gydnabod gwir werth y bobl ryfeddol hyn i gymdeithas - mae 800,000 ohonynt, mewn gwirionedd, yn byw yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd. Mewn poblogaeth o oddeutu 3 miliwn, mae'n nifer sylweddol, ac maent yn haeddu parch, hawl i'w hannibyniaeth, a rhyddid i wneud penderfyniadau am eu bywydau eu hunain. Mae Cymru wedi bod yn genedl sydd wedi arloesi er budd ein pobl hŷn mewn nifer o ffyrdd, gyda chreu rôl comisiynydd pobl hŷn cyntaf y byd yn 2006. Rhaid i mi roi teyrnged i Sarah Rochira, ein comisiynydd yn awr, am ei gwaith rhagorol ar ran ein dinasyddion hŷn. Fodd bynnag, mae'r amser wedi dod i gydnabod yr hawliau sylfaenol hyn, i rymuso ac ymgorffori'r hawliau mewn siarter, a deddfwriaeth, fel rydym wedi galw amdani yn ein maniffesto, a fydd yn cofnodi'n gadarn yr hyn y mae ganddynt hawl iddo, y cânt eu hamddiffyn, ac y byddant yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi fel y maent yn ei haeddu. Er mwyn galluogi pobl hŷn i deimlo perchnogaeth ar eu hawliau ac i sefydlu agweddau cadarnhaol mewn cymdeithas ac yn y gweithle, mae cael set benodol o hawliau o fewn y cyd-destun Cymreig penodol yn hanfodol. Wrth ymestyn a hyrwyddo hawliau pobl hŷn, gallwn gefnogi pobl ledled Cymru i barhau'n aelodau gweithgar o'r teulu, ein cymuned, a'n cymdeithas, yn wir. Nod cyffredinol y ddadl hon yw galw am gyflwyno mesurau, wedi eu codeiddio yn y gyfraith, i fynd i'r afael â gwahaniaethu ar sail oedran, hybu heneiddio'n dda a gwreiddio llesiant pobl hŷn yn y modd y caiff gwasanaethau cyhoeddus eu darparu. Gan ddatblygu ymhellach o'r datganiad presennol o hawliau pobl hŷn yng Nghymru, byddai siarter o'r fath neu Fil pobl hŷn yn ymgorffori hawliau pobl hŷn yng nghyfraith Cymru, gan roi dyletswydd uniongyrchol o sylw dyledus i gyrff cyhoeddus, gan gynnwys y ddyletswydd i ymgynghori â phobl hŷn wrth wneud penderfyniadau ynglŷn â gwasanaethau a materion sy'n effeithio ar eu bywydau. Byddai hefyd yn gosod rhwymedigaeth ar Lywodraeth Cymru i hybu gwybodaeth am hawliau pobl hŷn a dealltwriaeth ohonynt ledled Cymru. Mae Comisiynydd Pobl Hŷn Cymru, Sarah Rochira, wedi bod yn hyrwyddwr go iawn, a dywedaf hynny ddwywaith er mwyn cymeradwyo'r gwaith y mae wedi'i wneud. Mae hi wedi creu argraff fawr arnaf - heb ofn na ffafriaeth, mae hi wedi sefyll dros y bobl y mae hi yno i'w cynrychioli. ac yn sicr nid yw'n cilio rhag herio'r Llywodraeth a sefyll dros y genhedlaeth wych hon pan fo'u hiechyd, ansawdd eu bywydau a'u hurddas mewn perygl. Mae pwysigrwydd hawliau penodol o'r fath yn amlwg wrth inni edrych ar achosion lle mae polisïau sy'n ymwneud â phobl hŷn wedi'u gwthio i'r cyrion gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Yn ddiweddar, clywsom na fydd y strategaeth weinidogol i fynd i'r afael ag unigrwydd ac arwahanrwydd ymysg pobl hŷn yn cael ei chyhoeddi bellach tan y flwyddyn nesaf, 2019 - rhy hwyr i lawer o'n pobl hŷn. Gwyddom fod unigrwydd yn risg sylweddol i iechyd y cyhoedd. Mewn cymhariaeth, mae'n cael ei gymharu mewn gwirionedd ag ysmygu o ran y niwed y mae'n ei wneud ac mae'n effeithio ar 0.5 miliwn o bobl yng Nghymru. Ymhlith pobl hŷn yn enwedig, mae Age Cymru wedi canfod bod 300,000 o unigolion yn teimlo y gall eu diwrnodau fod yn ailadroddus ac nid oedd 75,000 ohonynt yn edrych ymlaen at y Nadolig diwethaf.