Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2021
121. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress made under the Adult Literacy for Life 10-year adult literacy strategy including the announcement of planned measures under Budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58634/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Adult Literacy for Life, or ALL, Strategy sets out a cross-government, cross-economy, cross-society approach to address this priority. It sets out the detailed pathway to achieve the vision of an Ireland where every adult has the necessary literacy, numeracy and digital literacy to engage in society and realise their potential.
I believe that the Strategy can be transformative in addressing a very significant root cause of broader socio-economic disadvantage in our society and can make a substantial contribution to fostering inclusion and full participation in society.
I wish to advise the Deputy that a number of commitments under the Strategy have already been delivered including the establishment of a one-stop-shop which provides over 210 local contacts point and access to a national freephone for anyone who wishes to avail of one of the 100,000 places currently available through Further Education and Training (FET) providers across the country.
The Strategy includes a set of priority actions for delivery in the initial implementation phase, during which the foundations for success over the next 10 years will be laid.
The Budget 2022 provision for the Strategy will enable us to establish the partnership structures and initiate focused coordination support which are critical to delivering on the targets set for adult literacy, numeracy and digital literacy. This will include the recruitment of regional literacy co-ordinators, a national programme office, the establishment of a new collaboration and innovation fund and the continued roll out of the Adult Literacy Awareness campaign.
