English: I would also like to thank the Minister for taking the time to contact me yesterday, discuss things with me, and provide me with a statement this morning. It is appreciated that, while we are in the consultation stages of this subject and the legislation is not yet implemented, the proposed legislation is referred to as removing the defence of reasonable chastisement. In simpler terms, the general public will know that this is called a smacking ban, simply. During consultation, it is important that we reach as wide an audience as possible, because this subject is one of a controversial nature, and, obviously, a delicate one. There are many issues here to consider prior to a ban being implemented. We've got to ask ourselves: is the state extending its claws into family life - you know, how far we are prepared to go with this? And what would the effectiveness of the ban be? We all agree that we must encourage positive parenting. I looked after two children for many years and never once did I smack them. They weren't my children. It was a very long time I looked after them permanently for, but things worked out for us without any smacking at all. Children's rights are important, but I looked at the quotations of two mothers regarding a smacking ban - both of whom disagreed with it - and one said: 'There is a difference between disciplining a child and abusing them. Parenting these days is far too soft, which is the reason we have people running around the street without any regard for authority. I feel sorry for teachers. The pupils now control the teacher. Teachers can't do anything to discipline the children, and, in the majority of cases, incentives simply do not work and teachers cannot do things and a lot of parents don't think that this is good enough.' So, it's open to consultation, and, you know, I'm just saying the views of other people. Everyone has a right for their views to be heard. This is what I'm saying - a quotation from someone else - and they have every right to put that quotation forward. When we talk about the effectiveness of such a ban, I'd like to ask how it will be implemented, how it will be enforced, how will the cost be borne - you know, what will it cost? And a second parent's view also stated that she thought that people advocating the ban want us to treat children as mini adults, as people that you can reason with, but sometimes you can't reason with children. Children don't always know their own mind and are prone to pushing boundaries. And they've asked, 'If they ban smacking, can you please provide us with solutions? Grounding, taking away privileges, are mostly ineffective.' She then went on to say, 'People of my generation were smacked and I felt that we were well adjusted as opposed to some of the younger generation now.' And she said, 'My first child was smacked. A disciplinary smack is not a beating, and, by the time my second child was growing up, there was much media opposition to smacking, so the second child was not smacked. She was placed on the naughty step, and this had no effect whatsoever; grounding was exactly the same. So, in terms of how they turned out, the first was a lot more respectful towards any kind of authority than was the second. Two teachers who I know couldn't wait to move to Dubai to teach because, in their own words, "Regarding discipline, there is no comparison. In Dubai, we can do what we are paid to do, and that is to teach. There are very few discipline issues here, but, unfortunately, Wales has lost it. We have no intention of returning. We are teaching, and the children are learning. It is a win-win situation."' So, our work as politicians is to help parents become the best parents that they can. We encourage and nurture a way of life, perhaps, as opposed to banning, and abuse must be dealt with when recognised and punished by law. It is parents who live with their children 24/7 and we must understand and respect their rights also to reprimand, within reason, the children they bring into the world. Thank you.
Welsh: Hoffwn hefyd ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am gymryd yr amser i gysylltu â mi ddoe, i drafod pethau â mi, ac i roi datganiad imi y bore yma. Rwy'n gwerthfawrogi, tra yr ydym yn y camau ymgynghori ar y pwnc hwn ac nad yw y ddeddfwriaeth ar waith eto, ei fod yn cyfeirio at y ddeddfwriaeth arfaethedig fel un sy'n dileu amddiffyniad cosb resymol. Mewn termau symlach, bydd y cyhoedd yn gyffredinol yn gwybod y gelwir hyn yn waharddiad ar smacio, yn syml. Yn ystod ymgynghoriad, mae'n bwysig ein bod yn cyrraedd cynulleidfa mor eang â phosibl, oherwydd mae'r pwnc hwn yn un dadleuol, ac, yn amlwg, yn un sensitif. Mae llawer o faterion i'w hystyried yma cyn rhoi gwaharddiad ar waith. Rhaid inni ofyn i ni'n hunain: a yw'r wladwriaeth yn ymestyn ei chrafangau i fywyd y teulu - wyddoch chi, pa mor bell yr ydym ni'n barod i fynd â hyn? A pha mor effeithiol fyddai'r gwaharddiad? Rydym i gyd yn cytuno bod rhaid inni annog rhianta cadarnhaol. Edrychais ar ôl dau o blant am flynyddoedd lawer ac ni wnes i eu smacio unwaith. Nid fy mhlant i oedden nhw. Roeddwn i'n gofalu amdanyn nhw yn barhaol am amser hir iawn, ond gweithiodd pethau'n iawn inni heb ddim smacio o gwbl. Mae hawliau plant yn bwysig, ond edrychais ar ddyfyniadau dwy fam ynghylch gwahardd smacio - roedd y ddwy ohonynt yn anghytuno ag ef - a dywedodd un: 'Mae gwahaniaeth rhwng disgyblu plant a'u cam-drin. Mae rhianta y dyddiau hyn yn llawer rhy feddal, a dyna pam mae gennym bobl yn rhedeg o amgylch y stryd heb ddim parch i awdurdod. Rwy'n teimlo dros athrawon. Y disgyblion sy'n rheoli'r athro nawr. Chaiff athrawon ddim gwneud dim byd i ddisgyblu'r plant, ac, yn y mwyafrif o achosion, dydy'r cymhellion ddim yn gweithio a dydy athrawon ddim yn cael gwneud pethau ac mae llawer o rieni'n meddwl nad yw hyn yn ddigon da.' Felly, mae'n agored i ymgynghoriad, ac, wyddoch chi, dim ond dweud barn pobl eraill yr wyf fi. Mae gan bawb hawl i'w safbwyntiau gael eu clywed. Dyma'r hyn yr wyf i'n ei ddweud - dyfyniad gan rywun arall - ac mae ganddyn nhw bob hawl i gyflwyno'r dyfyniad hwnnw. Wrth inni sôn am effeithiolrwydd gwaharddiad o'r fath, hoffwn ofyn sut y caiff ei roi ar waith, sut y caiff ei orfodi, sut y byddwn yn ysgwyddo'r gost - wyddoch chi, beth fydd yn ei gostio? A dywedodd ail riant hefyd ei bod yn meddwl bod pobl sydd o blaid y gwaharddiad eisiau inni drin plant fel oedolion bach, fel pobl y gallwch chi resymu â nhw, ond weithiau allwch chi ddim rhesymu â phlant. Dydy plant ddim bob amser yn deall eu meddyliau eu hunain ac maen nhw'n tueddu i wthio ffiniau. Ac maen nhw wedi gofyn, 'os ydyn nhw'n gwahardd smacio, a allwch chi roi datrysiadau inni? Mae eu cadw nhw yn y tŷ, neu gymryd breintiau oddi arnyn nhw, yn aneffeithiol ar y cyfan.' Yna aeth ymlaen i ddweud, 'Roedd pobl o fy nghenhedlaeth i'n cael eu smacio ac roeddwn i'n teimlo ein bod ni'n dipyn mwy cytbwys na rhai o'r genhedlaeth iau nawr.' A dywedodd hi, 'Roedd fy mhlentyn cyntaf yn cael ei smacio. Dydy smacio i ddisgyblu ddim yn golygu crasfa, ac, erbyn yr adeg pan oedd fy ail blentyn yn tyfu i fyny, roedd llawer o wrthwynebiad yn y cyfryngau i smacio, felly ni chafodd yr ail blentyn ei smacio. Cafodd hi ei rhoi ar y stepen ddrwg, ac ni chafodd hyn ddim effaith o gwbl; roedd ei chadw yn y tŷ yn union yr un fath. Felly, o ran y canlyniadau, roedd y cyntaf yn dangos llawer mwy o barch tuag at unrhyw fath o awdurdod na'r ail. Roedd dau o athrawon yr wyf yn eu hadnabod yn methu aros i symud i Dubai i addysgu oherwydd, yn eu geiriau eu hunain, "O ran disgyblaeth, does dim cymhariaeth. Yn Dubai, gallwn ni wneud yr hyn yr ydym ni'n cael ein talu i'w wneud, sef addysgu. Ychydig iawn o faterion disgyblu sydd yma, ond, yn anffodus, mae Cymru ar goll. Nid oes gennym ddim bwriad i ddychwelyd. Rydym yn addysgu, ac mae'r plant yn dysgu. Mae pawb yn ennill".' Felly, ein gwaith ni fel gwleidyddion yw helpu rhieni i fod y rhieni gorau posibl. Rydym yn annog ac yn meithrin ffordd o fyw, efallai, yn hytrach na gwahardd, a rhaid ymdrin â cham-drin pan gaiff ei gydnabod a'i gosbi gan y gyfraith. Rhieni sy'n byw gyda'u plant 24/7 a rhaid inni ddeall a pharchu eu hawliau hefyd i geryddu, o fewn rheswm, y plant y maen nhw'n dod â nhw i'r byd. Diolch.