Vol. 469 No. 7
1 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Education if she will publish and lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas the statistics for Ireland contained in the most recent OECD international literacy survey; and if she will make a statement on the implications, if any, of these statistics for future policy in this area. [17801/96]
3 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Education the response, if any, she has to the OECD report on European literacy standards which shows that previous estimates of illiteracy levels in Ireland of 100,000 people may be conservative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18061/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 3 together.
The report on the results of the Irish national literacy survey carried out under the aegis of the OECD, has not yet been completed. When this has been received and considered by my Department I will arrange for publication.
I am aware from a preliminary briefing that the report will provide comprehensive information on levels of literacy within a range of categories and will place these in a wider comparative context.
There is, as we know, a significant literacy problem in this country and the report will confirm that fact. It is important, therefore, that the extent and nature of the problem be measured as accurately as possible and I expect that the report will be extremely valuable in this regard.
However, it is important that we await completion of the report so that a considered response may be made to it. I expect the report to be available shortly.
I welcome the Minister's commitment that the figures and the report for Ireland under the aegis of the OECD will be published. Will the Minister agree that, given the figures for Germany and the USA — 14.4 per cent and 20 per cent of the population with significant literacy difficulties respectively — current estimates for Ireland at about 5 to 16 per cent are conservative at the least?
There is a need to be more pro-active in terms of funding and resourcing adult literacy schemes throughout the country. Is the Minister prepared to give a commitment today that the Adult Literacy and Community Education (ALCE) budget will be substantially increased in the forthcoming Estimates and budget of 1997?
That is a matter for the budget alone. There is a problem and identifying it will enable us to resolve it in a targeted and structured manner. In 1993, we allocated £32.25 million to adult education, which has increased to £47.37 million. The results of this survey will show us what position we are in the international league. It will also identify the particular age groups with literacy problems. This information will help us play our part in resolving an unacceptable problem.
I welcome the publication of the OECD report and I agree with the Minister that in order to have an appropriate scheme for adult literacy, we must know the extent of the problem. Although we have known about the extensive problem in Ireland it is unlikely that the Bill in relation to regional education boards, for which she has provided a notional amount in the Estimates will be published. Will the Minister increase funding for adult literacy programmes in the interim? Does she agree that as we have known there is a percentage of illiterate adults we should not have had to wait for the OECD report to increase the ALCE budget?
I have substantially increased the resources from £32.25 million to £47.37 million. The VTOS and the straight literacy scheme are also available to those returning to education. We not only have interventions for adults and an invitation to them to return to education, there are also interventions in place to prevent another generation leaving the Irish education system with literacy problems. There have been allocations and interventions to break this cycle as early as pre-school level. There have also been interventions at primary school level, changes in the curriculum at second level and an increased budget for adult education.
This report will identify the age cohort and the range of literacy problems they have, which will give the Department, the vocational education committees and ALCE the information to target the increased resources more effectively. I expect to publish the report soon. It would be useful then to have a discussion on the findings in terms of a future action plan.
The National Adult Literacy Association survey on literacy provision indicates that fewer than 5,000 students are in receipt of tuition in adult literacy schemes and the ALCE budget now stands at less than £2 million. Does the Minister accept that we as a society stand indicted for a lack of commitment to people who are short of the basic and fundamental skills to enable them to progress in life? Contrary to all the other sectors in education, this sector and these citizens are being deprived and discriminated against. We owe it to them and society to significantly increase the ALCE budget.
There is a commitment to the Year of Lifelong Learning which we are celebrating. If there is one sector of the community that felt the education system failed them in the past, it is those who do not have literacy skills. I am satisfied that the budget is being increased and I will seek more funding. When this becomes available, and I have a good record in the last number of years in increasing funding, we will have more information about those who have specific needs. I think we will then be able to measure the success of our interventions.
There is a huge dependence on the goodwill of volunteers in the adult literacy movement, with 85 per cent of tuition provided by them. What kind of commitment will the Minister make to give these people the support they need? She is being vague about providing resources. Can she give an absolute commitment to provide a specific amount in relation to resources for this critical issue? It must also be borne in mind that illiterate people are excluded. They are on the scrapheap of society. While we need to have the problem identified and quantified, we definitely need the resources to deal with it.
I agree with the Deputies about the necessity for resources. I thank those who are involved in this, be they teachers or voluntary workers. I accepted a survey last week about the attitudes and the particular difficulties that adults have about going back to learn how to read and acquiring skills. Given the profile of those who have literacy problems it suggests that past experiences in education would make some loath to return and seek help in that area. The funding of the voluntary service which prepares people who are then willing to move into other sectors of mainstream education has been successful. The information in that survey about the attitudes of those who experience literacy difficulties and the coming on stream of the OECD survey, which will quantify and specify the sectors that have most needs in this, the Year of Lifelong Learning, will benefit those who need our help and will help us to target resources in the right area.
