English: I too would like to thank the Chair of the committee and my fellow Members, the clerks and everyone who contributed, as well as the Minister. This was a very important inquiry. As has already been outlined, we are all aware of the importance of attendance in terms of pupils' development at school, not just in terms of their academic attainment, but their social, cognitive and emotional development. But the fact is, across Wales, too many learners are missing out on important opportunities due to absence, and what we as a committee were eager to understand better was why this was the case. As mentioned previously, this was a problem before COVID, but certainly the situation has deteriorated since then. And if the situation doesn't improve soon, then a number of learners will have missed out on a whole host of opportunities, which will then have an impact on them for decades to come. That is why this report is so vitally important. I welcome specifically the Government's response to the second recommendation, and the agreement to commission research to understand better the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on pupils' ability to attend school. Certainly the children's commissioner was clear about the link between absence and poverty, and with child poverty increasing here in Wales, we must gain a better understanding of why this is happening and what we can do to ensure the very best start for every learner who attends school. One matter raised with us as a committee, which has been raised already today - and it's been raised with me a number of times as a regional Member for South Wales Central - is the barriers related to transport costs, and that is the thrust of the committee's third recommendation. I am pleased to see that the Minister has accepted this recommendation in principle, but again, it is a cause for concern for me that it is taking so long to resolve this issue. I have raised several times with the Minister and the Deputy Minister for Climate Change a case in my constituency at Llanishen High School, which has been raised by Ruben Kelman, Member of the Welsh Youth Parliament. There is clear evidence from the school that the cost of bus travel is preventing some pupils from attending the school regularly. Despite this, the situation remains unresolved. How many more young people are affected like this? And why haven't councils such as Cardiff Council responded immediately to provide a solution to these situations, when we receive evidence that children can't afford to attend school?
Welsh: Hoffwn innau ddiolch i Gadeirydd y pwyllgor a fy nghyd-Aelodau, y clercod a phawb a gyfrannodd, ynghyd â'r Gweinidog. Mi oedd hwn ymchwiliad pwysig tu hwnt. Fel sydd eisoes wedi ei amlinellu, rydyn ni i gyd yn gwybod pwysigrwydd presenoldeb o ran datblygiad dysgwyr mewn ysgolion, nid yn unig o ran eu cyrhaeddiad academaidd, ond hefyd eu datblygiad cymdeithasol, meddyliol ac emosiynol. Ond y ffaith amdani ydy, ledled Cymru, mae gormod o ddysgwyr yn colli cyfleoedd pwysig oherwydd absenoldeb, a'r hyn roeddem ni fel pwyllgor eisiau deall yn well oedd pam. Fel soniwyd eisoes, roedd hon yn broblem cyn COVID, ond yn sicr mae'r sefyllfa wedi gwaethygu ers hynny. Ac os na fydd gwella ar y sefyllfa hon yn fuan, yna bydd nifer o ddysgwyr yn colli allan ar lu o gyfleoedd a fydd wedyn yn effeithio arnynt am ddegawdau i ddod. Dyna pam bod yr adroddiad hwn mor allweddol bwysig. Dwi'n croesawu'n benodol ymateb y Llywodraeth i'r ail argymhelliad, a'r cytundeb i gomisiynu ymchwil i ddeall yn well effaith yr argyfwng costau byw ar allu disgyblion i fynychu'r ysgol. Yn sicr, roedd y comisiynydd plant yn bendant o ran y cysylltiad rhwng absenoldeb a thlodi, a gyda tlodi plant yn cynyddu yma yng Nghymru, mae'n rhaid i ni ddeall yn well pam bod hyn yn digwydd a beth y gallwn ni ei wneud i sicrhau'r dechrau gorau posibl i bob dysgwr sy'n mynychu ysgol. Un mater a godwyd gyda ni fel pwyllgor, a sydd eisoes wedi ei godi - ac mae wedi'i godi efo fi fel Aelod rhanbarthol dros Ganol De Cymru - yw'r rhwystrau sy'n gysylltiedig â chost trafnidiaeth, a dyna fyrdwn trydydd argymhelliad y pwyllgor. Dwi'n falch o weld y Gweinidog yn derbyn yr argymhelliad hwn mewn egwyddor, ond eto, mae o'n fy mhryderu i fod hyn yn cymryd gymaint o amser i'w ddatrys. Rwyf wedi codi nifer o weithiau erbyn hyn gyda'r Gweinidog a'r Dirprwy Weinidog dros Newid Hinsawdd achos yn fy rhanbarth yn Ysgol Uwchradd Llanishen, sydd wedi ei godi gan Ruben Kelman, Aelod o Senedd Ieuenctid Cymru. Mae'r dystiolaeth yn glir gan yr ysgol fod cost bws yn atal rhai dysgwyr rhag mynychu'r ysgol yn rheolaidd. Serch hynny, erys y sefyllfa hon heb ddatrysiad. Faint mwy o bobl ifanc sy'n cael eu heffeithio fel hyn? A pham nad yw cynghorau megis Cyngor Caerdydd ac eraill yn ymateb yn syth i ddatrys sefyllfaoedd o'r fath, pan rydym yn derbyn tystiolaeth bod plant yn methu fforddio mynd i'r ysgol?