Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners with literacy or numeracy difficulties in each of the years 2002 to date in 2007. [13121/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Irish Prison Service publication entitled "The Prison Adult Literacy Survey — Results and Implications" published in September 2003 is the most recent information available to my Department. The major results of the survey showed that a significant number of prisoners have virtually no literacy skills — 52% of them were at Level 1 or Pre-Level 1 literacy levels. In other words, more than twice as many prisoners are at the lowest level as compared with the population generally.

The definition of illiteracy as used by the Department of Education and Science in conjunction with the Vocational Education Committee literacy schemes is: Level 1 — knows alphabet but has difficulties with reading; Level 2 — can read but has difficulties with writing, spelling or grammar; Level 3 — can read and write but needs to improve those skills for other education or work.

A significant number of prisoners with literacy difficulties are at entry level (pre-level 1) and unable to read simple words but have the ability to write their names or know the alphabet. Most will have left school between the ages of 9 — 14 years and only some would have finished the junior cycle of education. This means that many of the students will already have a large deficit in general education, which often manifests itself in poor reading and writing skills.

Literacy work has been a strong element of the Prison Education curriculum since the early 1980's. The literacy curriculum concentrates on the needs of the individual and respects the adult status of the student, his/her prior knowledge, skills and life experience. It is also concerned with improving self-esteem and building confidence. A number of significant initiatives commenced or were strengthened since 2003 which paralleled efforts to address adult literacy in the community.

Among these are the fuller use of negotiated learning plans for all literacy students, introducing and supporting the new FETAC level 1 and level 2 courses, the introduction of the National Adult Literacy Agency's assessment framework, "Mapping the Learning Journey" in each Education Centre, devising and delivering the National Adult Literacy Agency and Waterford Institute of Technology 30 hour Initial Tutor Training course for teachers new to prison education and drawing up and rolling out a national Literacy Plan for Prison Education.

An Adult Basic Education Development Worker is employed by The Prison Education Service with specific responsibility for implementing and supporting developments and initiatives in the area of literacy, numeracy, English for Speakers of Other Languages and basic education. The need for such developments was highlighted in the 2002 Guidelines of Quality Literacy Work in Prisons, produced by the Prison Education Literacy Working Group, and also the findings and recommendations of the 2003 Prison Adult Literacy Survey.