Vol. 520 No. 5
7 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Science if any study has been carried out to estimate the number of people who are unemployable because of illiteracy in view of the considerable and ongoing reduction in manual jobs available. [15099/00]
No study has been carried out specifically for this purpose. An international adult literacy survey conducted in 1995 and published in 1997 provided a profile of the literacy skills of adults aged 16 to 64. About 25% of the Irish population was found to score at the lowest level, level 1, performing at best tasks which required the reader to locate a simple piece of information in a text, with no distracting information and when the structure of the text assists the task. The survey showed the ratio of unemployed to employed people scoring at the lowest literacy level in the Irish survey was 2:1.
An interdepartmental group has been examining how best the literacy service can cater for the unemployed. It comprises various Departments, FÁS, the National Adult Literacy Agency, local employment services and literacy providers. An interim report has been submitted to Government.
In addition, funding for adult literacy has increased from a base of £850,000 in 1997 to £7.825 million in 2000, plus an additional £960,000 for programme development. Referral networks have been established on an area basis, involving a number of key actors in that area. Innovative approaches are being expanded, for example, family literacy groups involving both adults and their children. A quality framework has been developed and nationally certified in-service programmes for staff are being implemented. The Department has commissioned the production of a TV series in literacy awareness and tuition for adults. Initiatives are being implemented over a three to five year period to address the literacy needs of deaf people and people in Gaeltacht areas who require tuition through the medium of Irish.
As a result of these initiatives, the number of clients catered for on an annual basis by the literacy service has increased from 5,000 prior to the OECD survey published in 1997 to 13,000 at the end of 1999.
Does the Minister of State agree that the literacy level among the unemployed is far greater than the 25% which is the average for the population? Is he aware that an early school leaver is ten times more likely to be unemployed than someone who completes second level education? Is he further aware that almost 100% of small firms with serious recruitment difficulties state the reason is those seeking the jobs lack basic literacy, numeracy and interpersonal skills? What programmes is he putting in place to target the long-term unemployed and ensure they have these skills?
I agree and all that is implicit in the survey. No doubt the Deputy will agree with me that the provision of £850,000 per annum for the literacy service under his Government was derisory. In the last budget implemented by that Government the provision was increased by a grand total of £60,000. That is approximately £1,700 for every VEC. It was a disgraceful provision. We have increased the literacy provision tenfold. We have put an adult literacy development fund in place and introduced other initiatives. In the next few weeks we will have a White Paper on adult education which will indicate the Government's proposals to build on its considerable achievements. The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs is conducting a study on issues relating to employability. I do not know if it is considering literacy as one of those issues but I will discuss the matter with it.
A Fine Gael Minister has not that portfolio for ten years or more. Will the Minister of State consider doing what the British Government has done and provide an intensively supported literacy service for the unemployed and integrate it with the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs? If that was done, literacy services would be available in a timely manner to those who are made redundant or unemployed, ensuring that those trying to re-enter the labour force would have high literacy skills. Significant grants should be made available, over and above social welfare payments, to those who would participate in such schemes. Does the Minister accept that this is the way to make this accessible and worthwhile?
Does the Minister agree that, in many cases, the long-term unemployed do not see the value of upgrading their literacy skills? New initiatives to encourage them into the education system, before specifically targeting literacy, should be focused on as well. Does the Minister agree that the Government has neglected this area?
Deputy Bruton cannot absolve Fine Gael from responsibility for the disgraceful provision for literacy which existed when we took office. I am aware of what the British Government is doing but we do not need to follow the British slavishly. We have our own ideas and I have specific proposals in that area which will be announced shortly.
I do not accept that this Government has failed in any respect in this matter. An enormous amount is being done now which was never done before. That work will continue.
