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Literacy Levels.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 June 2004

Thursday, 17 June 2004

Questions (109)

John Bruton

Question:

109 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the way in which rates of functional literacy and numeracy for Irish persons in the 25 to 35 year old age group, or similar age groups, compare with their equivalents in other OECD countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18192/04]

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Written answers

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development carried out an international literacy survey of adults aged 16 to 64 years in 1994/95. Findings indicated that approximately half a million people, 25% of Irish adults in that age-group, were at the lowest level, level one, indicating a reading ability no higher than that of an average 12 year old. The comparative figures for the other countries in the survey are Canada: 17.2%, Germany: 10%, Netherlands: 10.3%, Poland: 42.4%, Sweden: 6.8%, USA: 21.8%, Switzerland, French-speaking: 16% and Switzerland German-speaking: 17.2%.

The survey assessed literacy ability under three headings, prose literacy, document literacy, and quantitative literacy. The percentages given above represent the aggregate score in the three categories. The survey report did not link aggregate scores to the ages of the participants. However, age-categories were given with the scores in document literacy. In Ireland, 17.0% of adults aged 16 to 25 years scored at level one in document literacy.

Comparative figures were: Canada: 10.4%, Germany: 5.2%, Netherlands: 6.1%, Poland: 32.2%, Sweden: 3.1%, USA: 24.7%, Switzerland French-speaking: 8.7% and Switzerland German-speaking: 7.1%. Since the publication of the survey report in 1997, annual funding by my Department of the adult literacy service has increased from just under €1 million in 1997 to over €19 million this year. In addition to expanding the general literacy service, specially targeted literacy initiatives for people with particular needs have been introduced. As a result of the increase in funding, the number of literacy clients nationwide has increased from 5,000 in 1997 to over 30,000 today.

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