Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 October 2014
183. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the additional budgetary funding allocated to literacy and numeracy strategy encompasses adult education; if there is any additional provision for workplace education and in particular for the skills for work programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40641/14]
View answerThe National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy is aimed primarily at improving children's literacy, but places value on parents improving their own literacy so that they can support their child's development from birth. The additional funding provided for the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy as part of the 2015 Estimates will be allocated mainly towards initial teacher education for the primary and post primary sector.
The Skills for Work Programme is funded from the National Training Fund (NTF) which provides literacy and numeracy tuition to people in the workplace. Final allocations from the NTF will be determined as part of the Revised Estimates 2015 process.
The level of investment in adult literacy programmes has been maintained at approximately €30 million per annum over the last number of years, recognising the need to continue to tackle this issue despite the difficult position of the public finances over the period.
