Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 743: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if prisoners' literacy and numeracy skills are assessed; if State sponsored studies have been conducted in respect of prisoner literacy; the results shown of statistics studies in this area; the projects in place to deal with this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31393/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Educational services are available at all institutions and are provided in partnership with the VECs and a range of other educational agencies in the community. Broad programmes of education are made available which generally follow an adult education approach. The Department of Education and Science provide an allocation of whole-time teacher equivalents to the prisons through the VECs (220 in the academic year 2009/10). This allocation allows an extensive educational programme to be run in each institution and participation in education runs at around 50% of the prisoner population.

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 and his/her prior knowledge, skills and life experience. It is also concerned with improving self-esteem and building confidence.

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. More than twice as many prisoners are at the lowest level compared with the general population. An Adult Basic Education Development Worker has specific responsibility in the Prison Service for implementing and supporting initiatives in the area of literacy, numeracy and basic education.

A literacy action plan is prepared by the prison education centre of each prison. Literacy classes form an important part of the curriculum. Every effort is made to publicise the classes and encourage as many prisoners as possible to avail of them. Literacy work forms an element of more than just the timetabled literacy classes. All teachers are aware of literacy needs and these are accommodated by use of a themed literacy approach across the whole curriculum as well as vocational work and training activities. This is a very effective method of linking literacy to areas prisoners can engage with and is widely used in adult education.

The Irish Prison Service is implementing the new assessment framework devised by the National Adult Literacy Agency, "Mapping the Learning Journey". This assessment framework identifies learner progress, provides tangible feedback and indicates areas on which to focus. It is a useful tool for both learning and teaching.