Gerry Reynolds
Ceist:18 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of people targeted by the Government's adult literacy initiative; and the estimated number of adults with literacy difficulties. [2840/02]
Written Answers. - Adult Education.
The 1995 OECD international adult literacy survey found some 500,000 adults in Ireland scoring at the bottom literacy level. The adult literacy budget has been increased from just more than €1 million prior to 1997 to €16.46 million in the current year, and participation in VEC literacy schemes has been increased from 5,000 in 1997 to 18,862 by the end of June 2001. In addition to this some 235,000 people per week availed of help in their own homes through watching the second TV series "Read Write Now".
The national adult literacy strategy was given top priority in the White Paper on Adult Education: Learning for Life, published in 2000. Investment in this area has increased 16 fold since 1997, and the funds are being used to expand the scale and scope of provision, support awareness promotion, outreach, the development of referral networks and flexible provision and to promote quality. New forms of provision such as family learning, workplace learning, provision for special needs, and for those for whom English is not the mother tongue form part of the strategy, as well as optimising the use of TV and radio, so that people can access help in the privacy of their own homes. The TV and radio programmes have been supported by the provision of free learner packs and a freephone helpline manned by trained tutors provided by the national adult literacy agency. Videos of the TV series are being made available free in adult literacy centres, training centres, libraries and video outlets.