Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Science has published a draft report on the state of adult literacy. In 1997 a total of 500,000 adults had literacy difficulties. This figure has increased in the intervening period mainly due to the presence of immigrants. The level of spending on adult literacy reflects the lack of commitment on the part of the Minister and the Government to dealing with this problem in the past ten years. The OECD published a report on this in 1997 but the problem is getting worse.

Approximately €5,000 is spent per pupil at primary level, €7,000 at second level and €9,000 at third level but an appalling €600 is spent per person on adult education. Literacy problems have serious consequences for industry and for the investment we need to make in education. We have been told a new survey will be carried out to discover current levels of illiteracy. As it is ten years since this one and the situation has worsened, will the Leader ask the Minister to provide adequate funding immediately to alleviate the difficulties in this area? The problem will not be solved overnight. Thanks are due to our vocational education committees as they are the only ones who have initiated worthwhile efforts to eliminate adult literacy problems. Will the Leader ask the Minister to come to the House to outline her commitment to rectifying this serious problem?