Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:21 pm on 13 July 2022.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you, Deputy Minister, for your response. I’ll get to what I’m going to say in a minute, but I think your words were very appropriate when you said what a fantastic and upbeat debate this is to have just before we all go away on our summer recess.
So, yes, summer’s here, and so are some of the fantastic and biggest outdoor events in Wales. From the Royal Welsh Show to the National Eisteddfod, Wales is a hotspot for summertime events and festivals, which bring together our friends and our families and indeed us as a Welsh community, and how refreshing to hear my colleague, the enthusiasm and passion of Sam Kurtz in his opening of today’s motion.
Now, as our nation does move forward from the pandemic, we do need to focus on getting visitors back and giving them the confidence that Wales is now open again for business, and, of course, that the Welsh Government is committed to supporting the needs of local communities during the peak visitor period, and it’s really heartening to hear some of the funding for the Eisteddfod and things like that, which you’ve mentioned today. Now, on 25 June, I attended the Llanrwst show—as did, actually, my colleague Llyr Gruffydd over there. I think we shared a paned in the FUW tent. But he's—[Interruption.] [Laughter.] Established some 140 years ago, the rural agricultural show promotes locally produced food and crafts, exhibits prize livestock—we even see pig racing—fantastic horticultural displays, and one that certainly marks an important day in the agricultural calendar of Aberconwy, attracting competitors and visitors from all over north Wales. It is events such as this that inject a vibrant atmosphere into our local communities.
Again, on 13 August, I will be in the Tal-y-Cafn showground for our annual Eglwysbach show.