Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he plans to take in relation to responding to high illiteracy rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5597/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The new Programme for Government contains commitments in relation to the improvement of literacy levels in two key areas.

As part of its Labour Market Policy, the Government will make literacy and basic workplace skills a national priority, with literacy training incorporated into a wider variety of further education and training programmes. The Government will also address the widespread and persistent problem of adult literacy through the integration of literacy in vocational training and through community education under its lifelong learning policy.

At school level and in early education, the Programme for Government contains a commitment to the development and implementation of a national literacy strategy. This Government believes that no child should leave an Irish school unable to read and write.

My Department is currently undertaking a public consultation process on a draft national strategy on literacy and numeracy covering the period up to 2020. There was a very strong response to the request for submissions up to the deadline of the end of February. In excess of 460 written submissions were received and these are being examined in detail. In parallel, focused consultation meetings are being held with groups of key stakeholders.

Targets and timescales for the implementation of various aspects of the literacy strategy will be set out in the finalised strategy, following consideration of the submissions and meetings with key stakeholders. Consultation meetings will conclude in early May and the strategy will be prepared thereafter with the input of a National Literacy and Numeracy Implementation Group, which I intend to appoint shortly. In parallel with the preparation of the strategy, preparatory work for implementation is taking place in my Department and its partner agencies.