Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I am glad to have the opportunity to present this overview of recent developments in adult and further education in Ireland. In the knowledge society, a well-developed education and training system and a workforce that is adaptable and willing to learn new skills are necessities. Research throughout the world has demonstrated the central influence of education on life chances and there has been a growing realisation in recent years that education must be lifelong if we are to have an inclusive and democratic society that can adapt successfully to meet new challenges. In addition, we know that increasing children's participation in and benefit from education is heavily dependent on also enabling parents to support their children's learning. Globalisation, increased competition, new technology, demographic change, a continuing need to upskill the workforce, more leisure time and an emphasis on social and cultural development are all converging factors which make it an imperative to invest systematically in adult education.

The adult education service is funded by the Department of Education and Science and delivered locally, mainly by the vocational education committees. In addition, but on a much smaller scale, secondary schools, community and comprehensive schools and local community groups are also adult education providers. The adult education service has expanded considerably over the past nine years. This expansion has concentrated on giving a second chance to people who did not derive full benefit from their initial schooling, particularly those who did not receive upper second level education. National certification for participants in adult and further education is provided by the further education and training awards. Some programmes receive certification from professional bodies and from a number of bodies outside the State, such as City and Guilds qualifications.

Within the context of lifelong learning policies, the conceptual frameworks for further education, adult education and vocational education and training are becoming inextricably linked. Developments at European and national level are facilitating greater co-operation, co-ordination and cohesion between the Departments with responsibilities in these fields and the statutory bodies with responsibility for delivery at regional and local levels.

My policy is to ensure that available educational resources are targeted at the most disadvantaged people across all levels of the system. It is important to note that the principal objectives are pursued through a number of full-time programmes such as Youthreach, senior Traveller training centre programmes, the vocational training opportunities scheme or VTOS, post-leaving certificate courses, as well as part-time programmes such as the back to education initiative, the adult literacy scheme and the community education programmes.

Adult literacy is the top priority in adult education. This priority was accorded following an international literacy survey of adults aged 16 to 64 that was published in 1997. It found that approximately 25% of our population, some 500,000 adults, scored at the lowest literacy level used in the survey. Since 1997, funding from the Department of Education and Science for adult literacy has increased incrementally from €1 million to just under €23 million in 2006. As a consequence, the number of clients catered for annually has increased from 5,000 in 1997 to over 35,000 in 2005. In this regard, we are well ahead of the annual target of 18,000 set in the national development plan.

Referral networks were developed by the VECs to ensure that those who needed them most were made aware of the adult literacy and basic education services. The referral system involves collaboration with other agencies catering for potential literacy students, such as FÁS, employment offices, welfare and community groups and schools. A national referral directory of adult literacy services has been published, showing where services are located, what options are offered and the contact points and telephone numbers. Staff development programmes have been established on a modular in-service basis for tutors and literacy organisers, and family literacy groups, involving adults and children, are running successfully.

Participants on the community employment scheme operated by FÁS can be released half-time from their work experience programmes to avail of intensive literacy tuition by the vocational education committees. This arrangement enables them to combine work experience and ten hours per week literacy tuition. The National Adult Literacy Agency, known as NALA, has trained a number of tutors to provide literacy in the workplace and has promoted the availability of this facility among employer organisations. The programme is now available for local authority outdoor staff nationwide. There are also successful workplace literacy programmes running in two hospitals and in a trade union.

To supplement the general adult literary service, a number of specially-targeted literacy programmes have been introduced for those in need of particular literacy services, for example, deaf people, people with dyslexia and native Irish speakers in Gaeltacht areas. To cater for the literacy and basic education needs of immigrant groups, vocational education committees have provided funds to afford free access to literacy, English language and mother culture supports.

Earlier this year, a new intensive literacy programme commenced within the VECs, in which six hours of literacy tuition is available per week instead of the usual two hours. This pilot programme is running for 14 weeks and an evaluation will take place later. If the programme is found to have operated successfully, funding will be made available for its continuation. A quality framework for the adult literacy service has been developed and published by NALA in collaboration with partners in the North, Spain and Britain. An assessment framework for the adult literacy service, which will be known as Mapping the Learning Journey, is being introduced by the VECs.

It should be recognised that these initiatives will take time to impact on the 500,000 people with literacy problems. Over the years we found that one of the most useful ways of dealing with this issue was through the television series, "Read Write Now". It has been successful and popular with audiences because people feel they can access it in the privacy of their own homes.

In a departure from the format employed heretofore, it is proposed to provide a new multimedia literacy tuition initiative in 2006. This will be done in partnership with NALA, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and RTE. Funding will be provided by my Department, the commission and RTE.

It is not enough to provide courses and certification. Without support, many of those committing to lifelong learning will flounder. Those who have embarked on this journey need to be guided along the way and a coherent integrated system of guidance provision is essential. The adult education guidance initiative was launched in 1999 in response to the recognition of these needs. Some 35 projects have been established and the service is almost nationwide. Having trained in career guidance, I admit to a particular interest in the question of adult guidance and a commitment to furthering this initiative.

Annual grants are given to VECs towards the cost of child care support for participants in VTOS, Youthreach and senior Traveller training centre programmes. This is to cover the child care expenses of people for whom these programmes were designed but who were not able to enrol on them because of child care responsibilities. Demand and provision have increased incrementally in recent years. My Department is also funding Qualifax. If speakers wish to refer to that initiative later in the debate, I will be happy to expand on it.

The success of programmes dedicated to preparing participants for employment is continuing to be sustained. Some 90% of students who complete post-leaving certificate courses progress to employment or further education — in the case of Youthreach, the figure is 74%; for VTOS, 69%; and for senior Traveller training centres, 51%. This year, there has been an increase in the rates of non-pay grant for VTOS, Youthreach and senior Traveller training centres from nearly 8% for Youthreach and senior Traveller centres to approximately 19% for VTOS participants, depending on the category of the student and the programme being followed.

The back to education initiative, a part-time measure, plays a key role in addressing the needs of those with minimal or no educational qualifications and providing a re-entry route for those who wish to upgrade their skills in line with emerging needs. I have increased the number of places available on a yearly basis with regard to the BTEI. Community education opportunities have been expanded and supported as part of the initiative, given the success of the model in reaching very marginalised groups. When the programme commenced in 2002, 6,000 places were available and we were able to increase this to 7,000 in 2005. The cost of the programme this year is in the region of €17,000,000.

I have appointed 37 community education facilitators to the vocational education committees on a flexible needs basis, to develop networks and link with community education groups to promote and assist their role in adult education provision and develop partnerships between statutory and voluntary interests, particularly in addressing the needs of those who are most marginalised. This is a new category of post and a training and support service has been put in place for the facilitators. I feel we will achieve value for money, given that so many people will now be able to avail of this service.

We have increased the number of post-leaving certificate, PLC, course places by 60% since 1996-97. Indeed, the number of PLC places approved for 2005-06 is up by more than 1,600 on the 2004-05 level. The number of approved places in the sector now stands at over 30,000. Government support for the sector is evident not only in the expansion of approved places and teachers, but also in the introduction of maintenance grants for students with effect from September 1998. Tuition fees for PLC courses are waived and the PLC maintenance grant scheme operates on the same basis as in higher education. There were nearly 8,000 PLC grant holders in 2005 and they received some €23 million in direct support. PLC students are included in the calculation of non-pay budgets issued to schools in respect of running costs. A supplemental non-pay grant towards running costs specifically for PLC schools is also payable. This amounted to €5.5 million in 2005. It is evident that Government commitment to the sector, by reference to the resources applied in teachers' pay, non-pay running costs, student support and certification costs, is very significant.

The McIver report contains 21 over-arching recommendations, incorporating 91 sub-recommendations. It has been estimated, in consultation with management and staff interests, that the recommendations for staffing would involve, at a minimum, the creation of at least 800 new posts at a cost of over €48 million. This level of additional provision cannot be considered in isolation from other areas of education and the future of PLC provision is currently under active discussion. In their consideration of the needs of the PLC sector into the future, my officials have been examining, inter alia, the non-teaching educational tasks particular to PLC teachers, the demands on the management side and the challenges presented by the variation in size of the 200 plus PLC providers. When their deliberations have been completed, further discussion with the management and union side will be necessary.

In the whole area of further and adult education, non-pay expenditure has risen to approximately €146 million this year. Overall, this provision represents an increase of €8 million on 2005 and will provide for an expansion on existing services in the sector throughout 2006. The principal increases are in the rates of non-pay grants for the vocational training opportunities scheme, Youthreach and senior Traveller training centres. In addition, on my request, the Minister for Finance recently provided an additional €2 million for adult and further education. I have decided to spend €500,000 of this additional money on adult literacy, €500,000 on the further development of the adult guidance service and €1,000,000 on the expansion of the Back to Education initiative. This will enable my Department to continue to develop the various services we fund in order to address the needs of adults who wish to improve their education levels.

I look forward to the debate.