Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 284: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the funding being provided for improving literacy in 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43015/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

An increase of €7.5 million, or 21%, is being provided in the budget for Adult Literacy and Community Education, which will allow for 3,000 additional literacy places in 2007. This will bring the total number of literacy places to 38,000. In addition to increasing the numbers of participants in the general literacy services, the increase will allow for a special intensive literacy project that was initiated in 2006 to be offered on twice the scale in 2007 and for a special family literacy project, which is being conducted under the DEIS programme (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools).

In order to support schools in improving literacy my Department is providing funding in excess of €4m through the Teacher Education Section in 2007. This funding will enable the expansion of the following programmes in line with the terms of the DEIS Action Plan:

Reading Recovery Programme to a further 84 Primary Schools

First Steps Programme (Reading and Writing) to a further 80 Primary Schools

Demonstration Library Project to a further 10 Post-Primary Schools

Junior Certificate Schools Programme and its Literacy and Numeracy Strategies to a further 30 Post-Primary Schools

Leaving Certificate Applied Programme, the number of schools to be included in 2007 is yet to be determined.