asked the Minister for Justice if there is any information available on reading problems or levels of illiteracy among male prisoners admitted to St. Patrick's Institution, Dublin; and the steps being taken to remedy any educational deprivation which such information may indicate.
Written Answers. - Illiteracy Levels.
76.
Every boy who is committed to St. Patrick's Institution is assessed by a guidance counsellor in order to determine his level of literacy and educational ability. Figures for 1974-75 academic year show that 13.5 per cent of boys admitted were illiterate and that a further 31.6 per cent had reading ages of between seven and nine years.
There are three remedial teachers working full-time in a modern, wellequipped education unit. Offenders who are illiterate receive individual tuition. Those with reading ages between seven and nine years attend in small groups of three or four.
A wide range of literacy schemes and teaching machines are used in order to help boys to become literate. A speech therapist attends once a week to work with those boys who have failed to read because of a speech impediment.
Apart from this, a full range of vocational school subjects is provided and courses are specially designed to meet the needs, interests and ability levels of functionally literate boys. Of these, during the past two years 12 have taken group certificate and six have taken leaving certificate subjects. In addition, a fully stocked library is provided by Dublin Corporation and books available in the public libraries may be had on request at St. Patrick's