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Dáil Éireann - Volume 655 - 21 May, 2008

Priority Questions. - Literacy Levels.

Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the estimates of his Department and other State agencies on the scale of adult illiteracy; the number of adults over the age of 18 who are deemed to be functionally illiterate in the English language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19768/08]

  Deputy Seán Haughey: In 1995, Ireland participated in an international literacy survey of adults conducted by the OECD, which found that approximately 25% of Irish adults between 16 and 64 years old were at the lowest literacy level — level one. Those are the most recent statistics available. However, Ireland has agreed to participate in the initial development work and feasibility study for a new survey to be carried out by the OECD entitled the programme for international assessment of adult competencies, PIAAC. This survey of adult competencies, including literacy and numeracy, is due to be completed in 2012 to 2013. Participation in the main study will be decided on the basis of the results of the development work and feasibility study.

On foot of the 1995 survey findings, the Government identified improving adult literacy as the top priority in adult education. That has been reflected in the funding for adult literacy, which has increased incrementally from €1 million in 1997 to €30 million in 2007. In the same period, the number of participants has increased from 5,000 to approximately 44,000. A total of 3,000 additional places were provided in 2007 in line with commitments in the Towards 2016 partnership agreement and the programme for Government. Since 2000, more than a quarter of a million learners have availed of the adult literacy services.

Adult literacy will also be an important aspect of the work of the interdepartmental committee that I chair and which is preparing an implementation plan for the national skills strategy. Adult literacy services are funded by my Department through annual grants to the vocational education committees, VECs, which deliver the services locally. Community groups and community development projects may also apply to their local VEC for funding to provide adult literacy tuition. A number of different initiatives have also been developed to tackle adult literacy. Those include the intensive tuition in adult basic education programme, ITABE, which provides up to six hours of tuition per week to learners instead of the normal two hours;——

  Deputy Ruairí Quinn: On a point of order. I asked a simple question about how many people are illiterate, not the percentage. We already have the information the Minister of State is reading into the record. He is wasting my time.

  Deputy Seán Haughey: A specified time is allocated to me.

  An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: I am afraid it is 30 seconds over that time now. The balance of the Minister of State’s reply will be in the Official Report.

[56]   Deputy Seán Haughey: I was trying to be helpful. I should have realised that Deputy Quinn has all that information.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

Included also are a family literacy pilot scheme to address poor literacy from an intergenerational family perspective; and a workplace literacy programme — the return to learning scheme — in all local authority areas for outdoor workers. In addition, participants on the community employment scheme can avail of intensive literacy tuition provided by the VECs. There are other special funding projects including literacy for deaf people, those with dyslexia and for native Irish speakers in Gaeltacht areas.

Adult literacy and numeracy are also an integral component for learners in both the part-time suite and full-time suite of further education programmes. In partnership with the National Adult Literacy Agency, my Department has provided funding for several successful television series to address the needs of adults with literacy difficulties.

  Deputy Ruairí Quinn: On a general point of order, I wish to put down a marker to both Ministers. Can we stop the filibustering replies from the Department of Education and Science?

  Deputies: Hear, hear.

  Deputy Ruairí Quinn: The Department has a standard word processor that churns out details in reply to every other question.

  An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Will the Deputy ask a question?

  Deputy Michael Kennedy: Deputy Quinn did it himself.

  Deputy Ruairí Quinn: I say to Deputy Kennedy that I asked a specific question that was not answered. The question was not about the percentage of adults between 16 and 64 but the number. Does the Minister of State have that information?

  Deputy Seán Haughey: It is 500,000 people. I am trying to be helpful in giving the Deputy information.

  Deputy Ruairí Quinn: No, the Minister of State is not.

  Deputy Seán Haughey: I do not believe the reply is a filibuster in any way. It is an opportunity for me to say exactly what is being done in terms of adult literacy.

  Deputy Ruairí Quinn: Can I interrupt the Minister of State?

  An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: I will call the Deputy again. In general, the rule is that the Minister is allocated two minutes to give a reply. What he says in his two minutes is a matter for himself. The Deputy will then have adequate time to pose supplementary questions.

  Deputy Seán Haughey: At that time the figure was 500,000 but I suggest that the situation has improved since then because of a number of policies and programmes that are in place. The participation in the OECD programme for the international assessment of adult competencies will give us more up to date information in due course.

  Deputy Ruairí Quinn: Whoever drafted that reply for the Minister of State was being economical with the truth. As we approach the 12 June and the Lisbon referendum campaign, in effect, a quarter of the electorate is functionally illiterate. Is that a fair interpretation of what the Minister of State said? Two million people are entitled to vote, give or take those aged [57] between 16 and 18. The Minister of State said a quarter of the adult population is functionally illiterate. Is that a fair interpretation of the verbiage the Minister of State has given me by way of reply?

  Deputy Seán Haughey: No, because the report was published in 1997 and the situation has dramatically improved since then because of policies pursued at primary, secondary and further education levels. The situation would have dramatically improved since then because of the policies we put in place. We have set out new targets in a number of policy documents.

  Deputy Ruairí Quinn: Does the Minister of State have up to date statistics of his own?

  Deputy Seán Haughey: No, the statistics we have are the ones published in 1997 based on the OECD report. That is why it is important that we participate in the new OECD survey to give us more up to date information. All the evidence points to the fact that the situation has dramatically improved since then.

  Deputy Ruairí Quinn: It is a reflection on the Department of Education and Science that the Minister of State is dealing with statistics from 1997, which is 11 years out of date. Despite all the money the Department is throwing at every problem it can see, it simply does not know the scale of the problem. Without knowing the scale of a problem, one cannot begin to address it.

  Deputy Seán Haughey: The Department has close links with the VECs, which are dealing with the situation on the ground. We have a number of new policies in place that are set out in various policy documents, including the Towards 2016 social partnership agreement and the national programme for social inclusion. The new targets have been agreed by the social partners and we are striving to implement them to improve the situation. I believe the situation has improved dramatically since the first survey was published in 1997.

  Deputy Ruairí Quinn: How does the Minister of State know?

  Deputy Seán Haughey: It is obvious.

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