Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the supports there are for foreign national parents with little or no English in order for them to participate in their children's education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5046/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Further Education Section of my Department gives an annual grant to all Vocational Educational Committees for the provision of Adult Literacy and Community Education. This fund may be used for the teaching of English to immigrants. An additional €7.4 million has been provided this year in the budget for Adult Literacy and Community Education, which allows for 3,000 additional literacy places in 2007. This will bring the total number of literacy places to 38,000 compared to 28,000 in 2002. This is the first phase in the roll-out of 7,000 extra places to take place over the lifetime of the Towards 2016.

In addition, my Department, in conjunction with the Reception Integration Agency of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, is currently examining how best to advance the development of a national English Language Policy for adult newcomers. In this context a seminar was held by my Department in May 2006 under the theme "Towards a National English Language Policy for Adult Newcomers".