Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

Many schools are worried this is another plan that will lead to more tinkering with the system. The role model system, however, has worked, particularly if it involves a parent and the necessary resources are put in place. A family with a literacy problem will not have any books or magazines in the House so if a parent goes back to education and we support him or her, that will bring the standard of the children's literacy up.

Is there a timescale? Many schools are worried about tinkering with the system but the Minister is right about numeracy and mathematics. The OECD figures state we are doing well with literacy levels but we have so many young people leaving school unable to read and write. How can we resolve that situation?

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