Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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1298. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to improve literacy rates in the adult population; the funds allocated to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33621/14]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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1304. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has set a target date for Ireland to reach 100% literacy for persons aged 15 and over; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33627/14]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1298 and 1304 together.

The provision of adult literacy services is a key priority of this government in the area of Further Education and Training and has led to significant policy development in recent times.

The Programme for Government sets out commitments for adult literacy provision under its labour market and lifelong learning policies. The importance of literacy skills was reinforced in the legislation establishing SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority, which included a requirement for a strategy aimed at promoting, developing and encouraging literacy and numeracy.

Strategic Goal 2 of the Further Education and Training Strategy 2014-2019, launched in May this year, includes the devising and implementation of a strategy for literacy and numeracy across the further education and training sector. The actions include improving the literacy and numeracy of the adult population, enhancing CPD provision for staff, embedding literacy and numeracy within further education and training provision and setting targets and objectives for literacy and numeracy programmes. SOLAS will shortly establish a Strategic Implementation Advisory Group of stakeholders to support the implementation of the FET Strategy.

The Review of the Adult Literacy Service published last year made a number of recommendations which have been taken into account in devising the FET strategy and in revising the adult literacy operational guidelines.

The literacy levels of adults in Ireland have improved in recent years as shown in the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) report published last year. The updates on targets set in the National Skills Strategy have shown continuous improvement in the numbers of adults with lower secondary or less education levels. My Department will continue to work with SOLAS and the Education and Training Boards, the main providers of literacy services to adults, to improve the literacy levels of adults in Ireland to enhance their employment prospects, personal development and education progression.

Annual funding for the Adult Literacy Programme is of the order of €30 million. In addition, a further €2.8 million is provided for the Workplace Basic Education Fund Programme, which focuses on basic skills for employees, from the National Training Fund.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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1299. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will instruct her Department to establish and chair an adult literacy implementation group involving key stakeholders, to ensure national adult literacy policy priorities are implemented and targets monitored and achieved; and the timeframe in which she will do same. [33622/14]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The Further Education and Training Strategy sets out the priorities for the sector including adult literacy and basic skills. The legislation establishing SOLAS set out the reporting requirements including an annual report to the Minister on the previous year's activities which is also laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The SOLAS Board, comprising stakeholders from the FET sector including adult learning, will oversee the activities of SOLAS.

I would also like to inform the Deputy that SOLAS plan to establish a Strategic Implementation Advisory Group shortly to support it in implementing the FET Strategy. This Group will include stakeholders working at all levels in the FET sector, including literacy.

I am confident there will be sufficient levels of oversight in place to successfully implement the FET Strategy and have no plans to establish any further oversight or monitoring process.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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1300. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has conducted any research on the costs involved to address the literacy problems held by one in four adults here. [33623/14]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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SOLAS, the Further Education and Training (FET) Authority, through the annual Service Plan process will allocate funding to Education and Training Boards based on the level of demand identified for programmes, including adult literacy. The level of funding provided will also depend on the overall budgetary position. The annual funding provision for the Adult Literacy Programme has been maintained at €30 million in recent years.

Of course addressing adult literacy problems is not just an issue of resources. A major review of adult literacy was completed in 2013 and sets out a series of recommendations on how adult literacy services can be more effective. These recommendations have been taken forward through revising the operational guidelines governing the service and are reflected in the Further Education and Training Strategy 2014-19. It should also be noted that one in six Irish adults were at or below level 1 in the 2012 PIAAC survey. While much work remains to be done in this area, it is a significant improvement on the figure quoted by the Deputy, which comes from a 1997 survey.