Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I genuinely acknowledge the amount of work done by the Deputy on literacy and adult literacy in particular. This is a major issue. All of us have personal experience in our families and communities of how this can be a real barrier to participation. When we talk about basic literacy, we are talking about people not being able to read a Panadol box. and in terms of basic numeracy, we are talking about people not being able to understand their ESB bills. This is locking people out and it is becoming intergenerational. It is a real problem.

I have responsibility for prisoner education and intend to focus on that as well. We cannot be serious about rehabilitation if we are not serious about breaking cycles of deprivation and lack of educational attainment. I am very interested in that area. I would sincerely love this committee to focus on the issue of literacy.

I have an open mind on the legislative change. I have got Government approval to chair an interdepartmental group on literacy, numeracy and digital skills and I will chair my first meeting of it with next week, so we will see where that brings us. I am conscious even in recent days of plain language. The State needs to start copping on because we are sending out volumes of information to people and I find I often have to read it two or three times to take it in, so we need to practice what we preach as a Government. I will be happy to work with the Deputy on that.