4. 90-second Statements

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:15 pm on 15 September 2021.

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Photo of Sioned Williams Sioned Williams Plaid Cymru 3:15, 15 September 2021

(Translated)

Thank you, Llywydd. The Swansea valley community where I live, and the community I represent, and the whole of Wales today commemorates the Gleision colliery disaster exactly 10 years since the disaster. On 15 September 2011, four local colliers were killed—Charles Breslin, David Powell, Phillip Hill and Garry Jenkins—in the Gleision quarry in Cilybebyll near Pontardawe when the colliery was flooded. I'm sure that we all here are thinking of the families today. Grief is an extremely difficult process in and of itself under any circumstances, but, in this case, the families have to face the additional pain of not having a full inquest into the tragedy held. There are questions still to be answered about what happened, and there are lessons to be learned for the future about dangers that still exist, unfortunately, in the coal-mining industry. I would like to support their call for an inquest into these deaths.

The disaster had a grave impact on communities in that area, and there will be two events to remember the four people lost. There will be a memorial dram unveiled by Cilybebyll Community Council in Rhos park, the area where the families gathered to wait for news exactly 10 years ago today, and at 6 o'clock Ystalyfera Community Council will unveil a memorial bench.