English: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Why are we here as Senedd Members if not to get this right? After all, politicians have been here before. I'm sure many of us remember that target of eradicating child poverty by 2020 - something that was at the core of the 1997 election campaign for the Labour Government, and that was reinforced then by Tony Blair in 2002 and adopted also by this Senedd as a target. I remember in 2008, when I was working for a Welsh Government sponsored body, that that was a focus and priority of our work, and yet here we are, with a situation that is worsening. This is not about point scoring, but if we are to do anything in this Senedd term, then let's work together to ensure that these are not empty words and that they are repeated again in a decade, as the statistics continue to fail children, generation after generation. I would like to thank everyone that contributed to the debate and shared some deeply personal stories as well. I think it's very easy sometimes for people to look at us as elected representatives and assume that we have a certain background. So, thank you, Luke, and Mike as well, for sharing your own personal experiences, because it is important that this Senedd also reflects the diversity of Wales, and we know that people are not able to have that fair start in life and have equity of access to all the opportunities at present. Sioned Williams, in her opening remarks - . It was very emotional listening to the things that you were saying. I think one of the things that resonated with me was the key one - that the reason is never within the control of the child, and yet, too often, the repeated instances we had throughout this debate were about making that child feel that responsibility. Mike, when you spoke about not taking those notes in, of not putting your parents in that position - . Because often it's perceived as poverty being a choice or that people are at blame, but they're not, and I think we need to be realistic here about the fact that it is a political choice. We do have levers. I know we're frustrated here in Wales at times that we don't have all the levers to change this, but we can change things if we are determined to make those changes. In terms of Laura Anne Jones's contribution - a reference again that a cost-of-living crisis in other countries exists. That may be the case, but we have amongst the worst child poverty rates in Europe, and I think just to say that there's a cost-of-living crisis elsewhere doesn't make right the fact that it exists here, and I think we need to do everything within our power, not just accept that there is a cost-of-living crisis, but accept responsibility for political decisions that lead to that. Because, after all, we have the statistics, we know the impact of not having that £20-a-week uplift maintained, and I think we need to be clear as well that even if that had been maintained, it doesn't mean that people wouldn't be living in a crisis. It would have made things a bit better, as it did during the pandemic, but it wouldn't have solved people from getting into debt, or from child poverty worsening, but not having it is making the situation even worse. So, we do need to be clear here, just because other countries may have a cost-of-living crisis does not negate the fact that there is a responsibility on the UK Government, and there are things we could change. The fact that the universal credit is not rising in line with inflation even - those are political decisions. In terms of the inconsistency, that's something that's come through clearly in the debate - the inconsistency in terms of costs, in terms of how the guidance is implemented by schools. And I think, Mike, you mentioned in terms of it being morally wrong to shame any child. Of course it is, and it's incomprehensible that anybody would think that is acceptable. But yet, it is happening, time and time again. And I would like to echo the calls of my colleague Luke Fletcher in terms of the EMA - the fact that it hasn't changed since 2004. And yet, you ask anybody, transport costs have increased, the cost of textbooks - everything has increased, and I think that is something we need to look into as a matter of urgency. I think the fact that you're able to say, Luke, in terms of that impact personally there - it's right, we do need to think about making that opportunity available for everybody. John Griffiths mentioned the cost of activities and experiences, and the fact of community-focused schools, and also mentioning the inconsistency across Wales and even within local authorities in terms of that equity of access to participation. And, Delyth, incredibly moving to have that portrait of Sam showing stereotypical manifestations of poverty. That's just heartbreaking, and the fact if that doesn't move us into acting together on this, what will? Because you're right, we need to ensure that everybody has that equity of opportunity and people aren't made to feel different. I remember my own school, seeing some of my friends being in a separate line for lunch because of having free schools, and immediately, the fact that that still can happen now, that differentiation, is just despicable. In terms of the Government response, I am grateful to the Minister for outlining the support of the Government on this. Obviously, we do have a number of things in the co-operation agreement between both Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government that will make a real difference, including free-school-meal provision. But as I mentioned right at the beginning, if we are serious about eradicating child poverty and giving everybody a fair start in life, it does require each of us committing to that. Empty words have been said before. We are a new Senedd here, there's a renewed commitment. Let's take that responsibility, let's make sure that we're not saying the same thing in a decade and letting down another generation of children. Diolch.
Welsh: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Pam ein bod ni yma fel Aelodau'r Senedd os nad ydym yn gwneud hyn yn iawn? Wedi'r cyfan, mae gwleidyddion wedi bod yma o'r blaen. Rwy'n siŵr fod llawer ohonom yn cofio'r targed i ddileu tlodi plant erbyn 2020 - rhywbeth a oedd wrth wraidd ymgyrch etholiadol 1997 i'r Llywodraeth Lafur, ac a gadarnhawyd bryd hynny gan Tony Blair yn 2002 a'i fabwysiadu gan y Senedd hon hefyd fel targed. Cofiaf yn 2008, pan oeddwn yn gweithio i gorff a noddir gan Lywodraeth Cymru, fod hynny'n ffocws ac yn flaenoriaeth i'n gwaith, ac eto dyma ni, mewn sefyllfa sy'n gwaethygu. Nid sgorio pwyntiau yw hyn, ond os ydym am wneud unrhyw beth yn nhymor y Senedd hon, gadewch inni weithio gyda'n gilydd i sicrhau nad yw'r rhain yn eiriau gwag a ailadroddir eto mewn degawd, wrth i'r ystadegau barhau i wneud cam ag un genhedlaeth ar ôl y llall o blant. Hoffwn ddiolch i bawb a gyfrannodd at y ddadl ac a rannodd straeon personol iawn hefyd. Rwy'n credu ei bod yn hawdd iawn weithiau i bobl edrych arnom fel cynrychiolwyr etholedig a chymryd yn ganiataol ein bod yn dod o gefndir penodol. Felly, diolch, Luke, a Mike hefyd, am rannu eich profiadau personol eich hunain, oherwydd mae'n bwysig fod y Senedd hon hefyd yn adlewyrchu amrywiaeth Cymru, a gwyddom nad yw pobl yn gallu cael dechrau teg mewn bywyd a mynediad cyfartal at yr holl gyfleoedd ar hyn o bryd. Sioned Williams, yn ei sylwadau agoriadol - . Roedd yn emosiynol iawn gwrando ar y pethau yr oeddech yn eu dweud. Credaf mai un o'r pethau a wnaeth argraff arnaf oedd yr un allweddol - nad yw'r rheswm byth o fewn rheolaeth y plentyn, ac eto, yn rhy aml, cawsom enghreifftiau mynych drwy gydol y ddadl hon o'r plentyn yn teimlo'r cyfrifoldeb hwnnw. Mike, pan sonioch chi am beidio â mynd â nodiadau adref, am beidio â rhoi eich rhieni yn y sefyllfa honno - . Oherwydd yn aml, y canfyddiad yw bod tlodi yn ddewis neu fod pobl ar fai, ond nid yw hynny'n wir, a chredaf fod angen inni fod yn realistig yma ynglŷn â'r ffaith ei fod yn ddewis gwleidyddol. Mae gennym ddulliau at ein defnydd. Rwy'n gwybod ein bod yn teimlo'n rhwystredig yma yng Nghymru ar adegau nad oes gennym yr holl ddulliau i newid hyn at ein defnydd, ond fe allwn newid pethau os ydym yn benderfynol o wneud y newidiadau hynny. Ar gyfraniad Laura Anne Jones - cyfeiriad eto at argyfwng costau byw fel rywbeth sy'n bodoli mewn gwledydd eraill. Efallai fod hynny'n wir, ond mae gennym gyfraddau tlodi plant sydd ymhlith y gwaethaf yn Ewrop, a chredaf nad yw dweud bod argyfwng costau byw mewn mannau eraill yn golygu ei bod hi'n iawn ei fod yn bodoli yma, a chredaf fod angen inni wneud popeth yn ein gallu, nid yn unig i dderbyn bod yna argyfwng costau byw, ond i dderbyn cyfrifoldeb am benderfyniadau gwleidyddol sy'n arwain at hynny. Oherwydd, wedi'r cyfan, mae gennym yr ystadegau, gwyddom am effaith peidio â chadw'r ychwanegiad o £20 yr wythnos, a chredaf fod angen inni fod yn glir hefyd, hyd yn oed pe bai wedi'i gadw, nad yw'n golygu na fyddai pobl yn byw mewn argyfwng. Byddai wedi gwneud pethau ychydig yn well, fel y gwnaeth yn ystod y pandemig, ond ni fyddai wedi cadw pobl rhag mynd i ddyled, neu dlodi plant rhag gwaethygu, ond mae peidio â'i gael yn gwneud y sefyllfa'n waeth byth. Felly, mae angen inni fod yn glir yma, nid yw'r ffaith bod gwledydd eraill o bosibl yn wynebu argyfwng costau byw yn dileu cyfrifoldeb Llywodraeth y DU, ac mae yna bethau y gallem eu newid. Y ffaith nad yw'r credyd cynhwysol yn codi gyda chwyddiant hyd yn oed - penderfyniadau gwleidyddol yw'r rheini. Mae'r anghysondeb yn rhywbeth a ddaeth yn amlwg yn y ddadl - anghysondeb o ran y costau, o ran y modd y caiff y canllawiau eu gweithredu gan ysgolion. A Mike, rwy'n credu ichi sôn ei bod yn foesol anghywir i achosi cywilydd i unrhyw blentyn. Wrth gwrs ei bod, ac ni ellir dirnad sut y byddai unrhyw un yn meddwl bod hynny'n dderbyniol. Ond eto, mae'n digwydd, dro ar ôl tro. A hoffwn adleisio galwadau fy nghyd-Aelod, Luke Fletcher, mewn perthynas â'r lwfans cynhaliaeth addysg - y ffaith nad yw wedi newid ers 2004. Ac eto, gofynnwch i unrhyw un, mae costau trafnidiaeth wedi codi, cost gwerslyfrau - mae popeth wedi codi, a chredaf fod hynny'n rhywbeth y mae angen inni edrych arno ar fyrder. Credaf fod y ffaith eich bod yn gallu dweud, Luke, ynglŷn â'r effaith honno'n bersonol - mae hynny'n gywir, mae angen inni feddwl am sicrhau bod y cyfle hwnnw ar gael i bawb. Soniodd John Griffiths am gost gweithgareddau a phrofiadau, ac ysgolion â ffocws cymunedol, gan sôn hefyd am yr anghysondeb ledled Cymru a hyd yn oed o fewn awdurdodau lleol o ran mynediad cyfartal at gyfranogiad. A Delyth, roedd y portread o Sam yn dangos arwyddion ystrydebol o dlodi yn drawiadol iawn. Mae hynny'n dorcalonnus, ac os nad yw hynny'n ein hysgogi i weithredu gyda'n gilydd ar hyn, beth arall a all wneud hynny? Oherwydd rydych chi'n iawn, mae angen inni sicrhau bod pawb yn cael cyfle cyfartal ac nad yw pobl yn cael eu gwneud i deimlo'n wahanol. Cofiaf fy nyddiau ysgol fy hun, a gweld rhai o fy ffrindiau yn aros mewn rhes ar wahân am eu cinio am eu bod yn cael prydau ysgol am ddim, ac ar unwaith, mae'r ffaith y gall hynny barhau i ddigwydd yn awr, gwahaniaethu o'r fath yn ffiaidd. Ar ymateb y Llywodraeth, rwy'n ddiolchgar i'r Gweinidog am amlinellu cefnogaeth y Llywodraeth i hyn. Yn amlwg, mae gennym nifer o bethau yn y cytundeb cydweithio rhwng Plaid Cymru a Llywodraeth Cymru a fydd yn gwneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol, gan gynnwys darparu prydau ysgol am ddim. Ond fel y soniais ar y dechrau, os ydym o ddifrif ynglŷn â dileu tlodi plant a rhoi dechrau teg mewn bywyd i bawb, mae gofyn i bob un ohonom ymrwymo i hynny. Siaradwyd geiriau gwag o'r blaen. Rydym yn Senedd newydd yma, mae yna ymrwymiad o'r newydd. Gadewch inni ysgwyddo'r cyfrifoldeb hwnnw, gadewch inni sicrhau nad ydym yn dweud yr un peth ymhen degawd ac yn siomi cenhedlaeth arall o blant. Diolch.