John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 366: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of literacy clients who attended courses run by Mayo Vocational Educational Committee for the past five years; the amount allocated for each of those years; if any other monitoring system is in place to continue to assess progress with these clients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13383/08]

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

Adult literacy classes are funded by my Department through annual grants to Vocational Education Committees (VECs), which deliver the services locally.

The number of adult learners who attended adult literacy classes provided by County Mayo Vocational Educational Committee in the past five years is as follows:

The funding provided by my Department for adult literacy classes in Co Mayo is as follows:

An assessment framework called "Mapping the Learning Journey" was introduced to the VEC sector in 2006. It is a performance based approach to assessment, using a learner's own work and not set against external criteria. The outcomes of the assessment process are based on the opinions of the tutor and learner.

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 367: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the initiatives and schemes within her Department to tackle adult literacy; the estimated number of persons in each county with literacy problems; the grants available to community groups and to community development projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13384/08]

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

Adult Literacy services are funded by my Department through annual grants to the Vocational Education Committees (VECs), which deliver the services locally. The disbursement of funds is a matter for each VEC, which, subject to its budget, decides the nature and extent of the Adult Literacy services to be provided in its area and the manner in which funds for these services should be spent. The organisation and location of courses are also matters for decision by the VECs. Community groups and community development projects may apply to their local VEC for funding to provide adult literacy tuition. This is mainly provided in the form of tutor hours.

Funding from my Department for adult literacy has increased incrementally from just €1 million in 1997 to €30 million in 2007. As a result of this increased expenditure, the number of literacy places has increased from 5,000 in 1997 to almost 44,000 in 2007.

There are a number of different initiatives and schemes designed to tackle adult literacy. The Intensive Tuition in Adult Basic Education Programme was launched in 2006. In addition, a family literacy pilot scheme was developed to address poor literacy from an intergenerational family perspective. Last year, seven projects were provided with grants of €20,000 each to develop family literacy. In 2008, I am providing funding of €200,000 for this worthwhile scheme. A workplace literacy programme, called Return to Learning Scheme, has been introduced in all Local Authority areas for outdoor workers. Under the FAS/VEC Return to Education Scheme, participants on the Community Employment Scheme, operated by FÁS, can be released from their work experience programmes to avail themselves of intensive literacy tuition provided by the VECs.

In addition to this wide range of initiatives, a far greater emphasis has been put on improving children's literacy skills in recent years. We are prioritising early intervention so that children's literacy problems do not become entrenched and carry with them into adulthood. To ensure a multi-pronged approach is adopted my Department has, in partnership with National Adult Literacy Association, used the medium of television to reach an even wider audience. The "Read, Write Now" series, from 2000 to 2005, and the more recent "Really Useful Guide to Words and Numbers" in 2006/2007 provided learners with an opportunity to improve their literacy skills from the comfort and privacy of their own homes. 2008 will see the airing of "Written Off?", a series following a group of adult literacy learners through their learning journey.

There are other special funding projects including literacy for deaf people, for people with dyslexia and for native Irish speakers in Gaeltacht areas.

The Department does not have statistics for the number of adults in each county with literacy difficulties.