English: I'd like to place on record my thanks to the emergency services, as others have as well, but I also want to pay a special thanks to the community volunteers because, initially, some people saw no-one official at all, and these volunteer teams were a lifeline to people. I have to say as well that last week was one of the toughest weeks I've had to face as an Assembly Member representing the communities where I grew up. It's been absolutely gut-wrenching to see how the lives of people have been torn apart just over the course of one weekend. I've spoken with many, many people who have been affected, and the initial shock turned to anger quite quickly and frustration about what happened and the lack of support from certain agencies at the events that led up to the flooding, events that, in the eyes of many people, exacerbated the floods. So, on behalf of all of those people, I have some questions for the Minister and for this Government. Many culverts and rivers became blocked as a result of hundreds of tons of debris left behind after tree felling operations was washed down the mountains. The drainage network stood no chance. This was particularly evident in Pentre, where many streets were flooded by a deluge the town has not seen the likes of. Natural Resources Wales, responsible for tree felling and leaving the material behind, have admitted that the debris contributed to the flood and have pledged to review their policies internally. Minister, this isn't good enough, especially as Pleasant Street in Pentre was flooded for a second time. Now, as the Minister responsible for Natural Resources Wales, will you insist on a full and independent investigation into what happened? And if that investigation deems Natural Resources Wales were liable for the flooding, will you ensure that people are fully reimbursed for the damages, in full, without any consequence to their home or car insurance policies? In terms of keeping waterways clear, some residents took matters into their own hands - they were forced to because help was not on its way. In Ynyshir, people lowered themselves down underneath a road bridge and used saws to cut into a mass of tree limbs, twigs and muck that had formed a dam and blocked the river below the bridge. This happened in a number of places. So, will concerted efforts be made to ensure that all culverts and waterways are cleared as a matter of urgency? As part of any review into the floods, will you also look at how other countries cope with flooding in order to learn best practice? The Netherlands has to be an obvious example; people there live below sea level without the problems that we have seen here. As people attempt to rebuild their lives, help with the cost of utility bills are needed. Once water and muck is swept out, the next stage is to dry out all affected parts of the property, and industrial heaters and dehumidifiers are deployed. But, of course, they're energy intensive and very expensive to run, which means that people could be forced into fuel poverty just by drying out their home. In the absence of a publicly owned energy company in Wales that prioritises people and not profit, like the one Plaid Cymru proposes, will you look at ways in which assistance can be provided to households struggling to cope with the energy cost of dealing with the aftermath of the flooding? I'm also concerned by the psychological damage the flooding has caused to people, especially, but not exclusively, to children who are often less experienced and therefore less resilient to deal with trauma on this level. The community pulled together in the Rhondda last week to put on a fun day for the children who were affected, which was great, but professional support is needed. Schools are being brilliant, but what additional efforts are being made to ensure that mental health support and counselling is available to children as well as to adults in order to cope with the aftermath of this devastation? And finally for now, will the Government also look at ensuring that people in Wales have parity with people in England when it comes to flood relief? I note that there's a flood resilience scheme in England that offers up to £5,000 to households to futureproof themselves from flooding. That would be welcome to many, along with what seems to be enhanced support in England for businesses that have been caught up with the floods as well. Can we expect people in Wales to see something similar?
Welsh: Hoffwn ddiolch ar goedd i'r gwasanaethau brys, fel y mae eraill wedi ei wneud hefyd, ond rwyf eisiau diolch yn arbennig i'r gwirfoddolwyr cymunedol oherwydd, ar y dechrau, ni welodd rhai pobl unrhyw un swyddogol o gwbl, ac roedd y timau gwirfoddol hyn yn achubiaeth i bobl. Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud hefyd bod yr wythnos ddiwethaf yn un o'r wythnosau anoddaf rwyf wedi gorfod eu hwynebu fel Aelod Cynulliad sy'n cynrychioli'r cymunedau lle cefais fy magu. Mae wedi bod yn gwbl dorcalonnus gweld sut mae bywydau pobl wedi cael eu rhwygo'n ddarnau yn ystod dim ond un penwythnos. Rwyf wedi siarad â llawer iawn iawn o bobl yr effeithiwyd arnyn nhw, a throdd y sioc gychwynnol yn ddicter yn bur gyflym a rhwystredigaeth ynghylch yr hyn a ddigwyddodd a'r diffyg cefnogaeth gan rai asiantaethau yn y digwyddiadau a arweiniodd at y llifogydd, digwyddiadau a oedd, yng ngolwg llawer o bobl, wedi gwaethygu'r llifogydd. Felly, ar ran yr holl bobl hynny, mae gennyf rai cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog ac i'r Llywodraeth hon. Cafodd llawer o geuffosydd ac afonydd eu rhwystro o ganlyniad i gannoedd o dunelli o rwbel a adawyd ar ôl yn sgil gwaith cwympo coed gael ei olchi i lawr y mynyddoedd. Nid oedd gan y rhwydwaith draenio unrhyw siawns. Roedd hyn yn arbennig o amlwg ym Mhentre, lle bu llifogydd ar rai strydoedd na welodd y dref erioed eu tebyg. Mae Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, sy'n gyfrifol am dorri coed a gadael y deunydd ar ôl, wedi cyfaddef bod y malurion wedi cyfrannu at y llifogydd ac wedi addo adolygu eu polisïau'n fewnol. Gweinidog, nid yw hyn yn ddigon da, yn enwedig gan fod Pleasant Street ym Mhentre wedi dioddef llifogydd am yr eildro. Nawr, fel y Gweinidog sy'n gyfrifol am Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, a fyddwch chi'n mynnu ymchwiliad llawn ac annibynnol i'r hyn a ddigwyddodd? Ac os yw'r ymchwiliad hwnnw'n barnu bod Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru yn atebol am y llifogydd, a wnewch chi sicrhau y caiff pobl eu had-dalu'n llawn am y difrod, yn llawn, heb unrhyw effaith o gwbl ar eu polisïau yswiriant cartref neu gar? O ran cadw dyfrffyrdd yn glir, aeth rhai trigolion â materion i'w dwylo eu hunain - gorfodwyd nhw i wneud hynny am nad oedd cymorth ar ei ffordd. Yn Ynyshir, roedd pobl yn gostwng eu hunain o dan bont ffordd ac yn defnyddio llifiau i dorri toreth o goesau coed, brigau a mwd oedd wedi ffurfio argae ac wedi rhwystro'r afon o dan y bont. Digwyddodd hyn mewn sawl lle. Felly, a fydd ymdrechion glew yn cael eu gwneud i sicrhau y caiff pob ceuffos a dyfrffordd eu clirio fel mater o frys? Fel rhan o unrhyw adolygiad o'r llifogydd, a wnewch chi edrych hefyd ar sut y mae gwledydd eraill yn ymdopi â llifogydd er mwyn dysgu'r arferion gorau? Mae'n rhaid bod yr Iseldiroedd yn enghraifft amlwg; mae pobl yno'n byw islaw lefel y môr heb y problemau yr ydym ni wedi'u gweld yma. Wrth i bobl geisio ailadeiladu eu bywydau, mae angen cymorth gyda chost biliau cyfleustodau. Ar ôl ysgubo dŵr a baw allan, y cam nesaf yw sychu'r holl rannau o'r eiddo yr effeithiwyd arnyn nhw, a defnyddir dadleithyddion a gwresogyddion diwydiannol. Ond, wrth gwrs, maen nhw'n defnyddio llawer o ynni ac yn ddrud iawn i'w rhedeg, sy'n golygu y gallai pobl gael eu gorfodi i ddioddef tlodi tanwydd drwy ddim ond sychu eu cartref. Yn absenoldeb cwmni ynni yng Nghymru sydd mewn perchenogaeth gyhoeddus ac sy'n rhoi blaenoriaeth i bobl ac nid elw, fel yr un a gynigir gan Blaid Cymru, a wnewch chi edrych ar ffyrdd y gellir darparu cymorth i aelwydydd sy'n cael trafferth ymdopi ag ôl-effeithiau llifogydd o ran costau ynni? Rwyf hefyd yn pryderu am y niwed seicolegol y mae'r llifogydd wedi'i achosi i bobl, yn enwedig, ond nid yn unig, i blant sy'n aml yn llai profiadol ac felly'n llai cydnerth i ymdrin â thrawma fel hyn. Tynnodd y gymuned ynghyd yn y Rhondda yr wythnos diwethaf i gynnal diwrnod hwyl i'r plant yr effeithiwyd arnynt, a oedd yn wych, ond mae angen cefnogaeth broffesiynol. Mae ysgolion yn wych, ond pa ymdrechion ychwanegol a wneir i sicrhau bod cymorth a chwnsela iechyd meddwl ar gael i blant yn ogystal ag i oedolion er mwyn dygymod â chanlyniad y dinistr hwn? Ac yn olaf am nawr, a wnaiff y Llywodraeth hefyd ystyried sicrhau bod pobl yng Nghymru yn cael yr un driniaeth â phobl yn Lloegr o ran lliniaru llifogydd? Sylwaf fod cynllun gwrthsefyll llifogydd yn Lloegr sy'n cynnig hyd at £5,000 o gartrefi i ddiogelu eu hunain rhag llifogydd. Byddai hynny'n cael ei groesawu gan lawer, ynghyd â'r hyn sydd i'w weld yn gymorth ychwanegol yn Lloegr i fusnesau a gawsant eu dal yn y llifogydd hefyd. A allwn ni ddisgwyl i bobl yng Nghymru weld rhywbeth tebyg?