Mr. Phil O'Flaherty:

My colleagues have answered many of the questions raised. Let me address the point on the 7% target. Ms Bailey is correct in that it will not be reached. In quarter 4 last year, the figure was 11.8%. It was 14.6% in quarter 4 of 2014. It is, therefore, moving in the right direction but the target will not be reached.

The difference between the PIAAC figures and the target figure of the national skills strategy is that the latter relates to formal educational qualifications. To move towards the 7% target, people need to get qualifications at upper secondary level. That involves formal, certified provision. This matter is somewhat distinct from the questions on the adult literacy service. Many of the qualifications in this regard are certified, but at lower levels. The education is mostly part-time, which helps a lot in accessibility and availability. It is delivered across a broad range of providers at community level and by ETBs. It is very good in terms of ease of access but, to move towards formal educational qualification attainment at upper secondary level, there is a need to move on to different types of programmes. The question of converting engagement in lower-intensity adult literacy programmes into engagement in formal education is an issue. That probably speaks to the theme of the level of co-ordination on the ground, as raised by Ms Bailey and committee members. As Ms Gallagher outlined, there are some good formal link-ups between the Department of Employment and Social Protection, Intreo offices and ETBs through formal memorandums of understanding.

There is an improved story since the creation of the ETBs. Many disparate parts of further and adult education and training were brought together under the roof of a single agency. We are seeing more of the literacy services supporting learners on other further education and training programmes. There is a better connection within the ETBs. There is an improvement in respect of engagement with the Departments of Education and Skills and Employment Affairs and Social Protection but the same formality does not exist in regard to the entire range of other services. There is probably a way to go in that respect. The new further education and training strategy will address that link-up.

When we hear that 450,000 people have an education at a level lower than lower secondary level, we must remember that, given the unemployment level is thankfully quite low, many of them are in employment. That is positive in the overall sense but it challenges the model of delivery by ETBs of adult education provision because they are well linked in with community groups and many of the services. Many in employment are not accessing those sorts of services, however.