English: There is an empty chair behind me. It's a chair that's been kept warm for Steff ever since he started his battle with cancer a little over a year ago. It feels like yesterday. I was looking at his text the other day: 'Can you come out of committee to speak to me?' he said, and that was a dark day. But Steff was determined to continue to cast his light upon us. He would still come here, as we've heard, particularly for discussions on European matters or to demand fair play for some cause or another in Gwent and the south-east, the area where he was raised, which was so dear to him. In his early 20s, he made an impression on me for the first time. I was introducing a television hustings programme from Ebbw Vale during the Blaenau Gwent by-election, and Steff was a very young Plaid Cymru candidate at that election - I think he was just 21. I remember thinking at the time, 'Wow, he's good.' And he was very good. He was very special. It was a huge pleasure then to become a colleague of his in due time and to call him a friend. I was an elected member first of all, although he was in Plaid Cymru way before I was, where he was a key member of the team, and then he too was elected. Becoming a Member of our national Senedd meant everything to him. For Steff, it was a privilege to be here, serving his community and serving Wales. But it was that community's privilege, Wales's privilege and all of our privilege that Steff had decided to commit to serve the nation in its Parliament. He was a dear man, a fair man, a fair politician. He was unselfish. We saw that in the way in which he was so eager to help other patients in speaking openly of his cancer. He was a mindful individual, choosing his words carefully. It reminded me of my late mother in that regard. She had given so much to Wales in so many ways. I heard in tributes to her that my mother would hold back, but when she spoke, we would know that she had something to say, and everyone would listen. And that's how it was with Steff. Steff, I cannot pay you much greater tribute than to say that you remind me of my mother. Steff's contribution was always valuable.
Welsh: Mae yna gadair wag y tu cefn i mi. Mae'n gadair sydd wedi bod yn cael ei chadw yn gynnes i Steff fyth ers iddo ddechrau ar ei frwydr yn erbyn canser ychydig dros flwyddyn yn ôl. Mae'n teimlo fel ddoe. Roeddwn i'n edrych ar ei decst o y diwrnod o'r blaen: 'Fedri di ddod allan o'r pwyllgor i siarad efo fi?', meddai fo. Ac mi oedd hwnnw'n ddiwrnod tywyll. Ond mi oedd Steff yn benderfynol o barhau i fwrw ei oleuni arnon ni. Mi fyddai'n dal i ddod yma, fel rydyn ni wedi clywed, yn enwedig ar gyfer trafodaethau ar faterion Ewropeaidd, neu i fynnu chwarae teg dros ryw achos neu'i gilydd yng Ngwent a'r de-ddwyrain, bro ei febyd oedd mor annwyl iddo fo. Yn ei ugeiniau cynnar oedd o pan greodd o argraff arnaf i'n gyntaf. Roeddwn i'n cyflwyno rhaglen hystings deledu o Lynebwy yn ystod isetholiad ym Mlaenau Gwent, a Steff oedd ymgeisydd Plaid Cymru - ymgeisydd ifanc iawn, rhyw 21 oed, dwi'n meddwl oedd o. Dwi'n cofio meddwl ar y pryd, 'Waw, mae hwn yn dda', ac mi oedd o'n dda iawn. Roedd o'n arbennig iawn. Pleser pur wedyn oedd cael dod yn gydweithiwr iddo fo maes o law, ac i'w alw fo'n ffrind - fi yn etholedig yn gyntaf, er ei fod o ym Mhlaid Cymru ymhell o'm blaen i, yntau yn aelod cwbl allweddol o'r tîm, ac yna mi gafodd o ei ethol. Ac mi oedd cael dod yn Aelod o'n Senedd genedlaethol ni yn golygu popeth iddo fo. I Steff, braint oedd bod yma, yn gwasanaethu ei gymuned, yn gwasanaethu Cymru, ond braint y gymuned honno, braint Cymru a'n braint ninnau i gyd oedd bod Steff wedi penderfynu ymroi i wasanaethu'r genedl yn ei Senedd. Dyn addfwyn, dyn teg, gwleidydd teg. Dyn anhunanol. Mi welon ni hynny yn y ffordd yr oedd o mor eiddgar i helpu cleifion eraill drwy siarad yn agored am ei ganser. Dyn meddylgar, yn dewis ei eiriau'n ofalus. Roedd o'n atgoffa fi am fy niweddar fam yn hynny o beth, a hithau wedi rhoi cymaint dros Gymru mewn llawer ffordd. A minnau'n clywed mewn teyrngedau iddi hi, 'Byddai dy fam yn dal yn ôl, wedyn pan fyddai hi'n siarad, mi oedden ni'n gwybod bod ganddi hi rywbeth i'w ddweud, ac mi fyddai pawb yn gwrando'. Ac felly oedd Steff. Steff, allaf i ddim rhoi llawer mwy o deyrnged i ti na drwy ddweud dy fod ti'n atgoffa fi o mam. Mi oedd cyfraniad Steff bob amser yn werthfawr.