Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Oct 1999

Vol. 509 No. 4

Written Answers. - Adult Education.

Nora Owen

Question:

343 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of staff in his Department who are dealing with adult education and literacy issues in 1999; the number of staff who were dealing with such issues in 1989 and 1979; the amount of money spent in 1999 in his Department on adult literacy education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20350/99]

Nora Owen

Question:

344 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education and Science if European funding will be continued for National Adult Literacy Agency which is currently dealing with the 10,000 adults in literacy training; if he will increase the funding available to this association in order that it can expand its activities to cover the many other adults who require assistance; if the overall budget for literacy training in his Department is approximately two per cent of his Department's full budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20351/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 343 and 344 together.

The adult education section in my Department was established in 1980. Its remit was to deal with all aspects of adult education including adult literacy. In 1998, the programme delivery element of certain ESF-aided programmes outside the third level sector, and the work of the adult education section were integrated for the first time into a further education section. The new section deals with vocational training and adult education policy, including the consultation and development of a White Paper on Adult Education, inputs to the National Development Plan, etc., allied with all funding, co-ordination and policy matters concerning programmes for early school leavers – Youthreach and senior traveller training centres – post leaving certificate courses, the vocational training opportunities scheme, adult literacy and adult and community education in the further education sector.

Delivery of adult education is provided in the main by vocational education committees whose staff have greatly expanded in the past 20 years. Adult education is co-ordinated in each of the VEC areas by an adult education organiser who is responsible for supporting all adult education in the area whether it is delivered under the aegis of the VEC, the local community and comprehensive schools, local secondary schools or by other agencies.

The staff in the section in 1980, 1989 and 1999 were as follows:

	1980	1989	1999(of which devoted to adult education)
Principal OfficerAsst PrincipalHigher ExecutiveExecutive OfficerClerical staff	00112	01110	1(0.5)2(1)3.5(2)6(4)0.5(0)
Total	4	3	13(7.5)

Much of adult education provision is not financed separately, but is included as part of the overall running costs of institutions and programmes. This is the case, for example, in relation to third level participation, posts of responsibility for adult education in second level schools, running costs of vocational education committees, the cost of the prison education service etc. Excluding such costs, the Green Paper identified some £65.202 million expenditure in 1998 which could be attributed directly to adult education. The 1999 estimate for such provision is £81.071 million and represents of the order of 2.8 per cent of overall outlay on education. The increase reflects a full year cost of the child care measure introduced in September 1998, a rapid growth in participation of older adults on PLC courses, an increase in adult literacy provision of £2.6 million and a growth in the cost of VTOS allowances arising from the £25 incentive for long-term unemployed.

Provision for adult literacy increased by £2.6 million to £5.665 million in 1999. Of this, some £5 million is aided by the European Social Fund. While the negotiations for EU Structural Funds for post 1999 have not yet been completed, it is expected that this area will remain a high priority for the commission. The Green Paper: Adult Education in an Era of Lifelong Learning is committed to increasing expenditure in this critical area to at least £10 million per annum on a phased basis.

The National Adult Literacy Agency is funded by grants from my Department of £370,000 in 1999 compared with £310,000 in 1998. The agency's key role is as a promotional and campaigning body in relation to adult literacy, as well as providing support materials, referral information and support for staff development and the promotion of quality standards. The 10,000 adults currently availing of literacy support are being catered for by the VEC adult literacy schemes funded directly by my Department. Both the vocational education committees and the Department work closely with the National Adult Literacy Agency in the development and delivery of the adult literacy service, and my Department has recently approved the appointment of a national adult literacy co-ordinator who will be based in NALA and will be taking up duty shortly.

Nora Owen

Question:

345 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of salaries paid in full by his Department to people involved in literacy training with the National Adult Literacy Agency or with any other initiative in the community either through VEC or private literacy training; if he will extend the literacy project which was carried out in Ballyfermot and Mullingar through FÁS to all 33 VEC areas here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20352/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

The National Adult Literacy Agency, NALA, is funded by grants from my Department to a value of £370,000 in 1999. The agency's key role is as a promotional and campaigning body in relation to adult literacy, as well as providing support materials, referral information, and support for staff development and the promotion of quality standards. The agency has eight staff – a director, four programme development staff and three administrative staff. This includes a national adult literacy co-ordinator approved by the Department who will be taking up duty shortly and will be based in the agency.

Adult literacy training is delivered by the VEC adult literacy schemes, and the service is run by adult literacy organisers, who co-ordinate provision and match students with tutors, by paid adult literacy tutors, and by unpaid volunteers who work with learners on a one-to-one basis. The service operates in every VEC region and caters for some 10,000 clients at present. This will be further expanded as the provision is extended in line with increased funding.

Both my Department and the vocational education committees work closely with NALA in the delivery of adult literacy services. Recent initiatives in this area include the selection of projects and priorities for funding under the National Adult Literacy Development Fund, staff development programmes, piloting of literacy over the radio, the development of a quality assurance framework for the service, and initial work in relation to provision of TV literacy and the development of an adult guidance service. NALA is also represented on the interdepartmental committee on literacy for the unemployed convened by my Department, which is working with FÁS, the local employment service, the vocational education committees and the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Social, Community and Family Affairs on the development of an integrated strategy in this area. In that context, FÁS has made a commitment to extend the pilot literacy community employment projects in Mullingar and Ballyfermot to all of its ten regions. In addition, there are of the order of 25 other community employment projects which play a key role in supporting the provision of the VEC literacy service.

The Green Paper "Adult Education in an Era of Lifelong Learning" highlighted the need for a rapid increase in investment on a phased basis to a level of at least £10 million per annum. Provision in this area has increased from a base of £0.850 million in 1987 when the Government took office to a level of £5.665 million in 1999.

Nora Owen

Question:

346 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will instruct all primary schools, which are receiving computers as part of the IT initiative, to make such computers available to adult literacy classes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20353/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

Groups such as those running adult literacy classes may apply to the board of management of a primary school for permission to access and use facilities such as computers and computer rooms. Permission for such access and use may be granted if the Board of Management so decides and where appropriate arrangements are put in place to ensure that use of the computer facilities by such groups does not interfere with the normal organisation and running of the school. Where costs arise for facilities such as heating, lighting and insurance, there is provision for such costs under the adult literacy budget operated by vocational education committees.