Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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236. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans to increase funding for school libraries and the provision of qualified school librarians; if there are plans to expand the junior certificate schools programme demonstration library project beyond the current 30 schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45276/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My aim for Budget 2023 is to continue to deliver on the priorities outlined in the Programme for Government and to continue to support the students, staff, and families in the education sector.

In the lead up to the Budget, my Department receives a number of pre-budget submissions from a number stakeholders in the education sector and from organisations involved in other areas of public policy. As in previous years, relevant submissions continue to be reviewed and they will inform the specific budgetary priorities that I will be seeking to achieve in Budget 2023.

The library project referred to is the Junior Cycle Schools Programme (JCSP) Demonstration Library Project. A review of the JCSP is underway. Schools that currently offer the JCSP have been advised that they may continue to do so. While the review is ongoing, no new applications are currently being accepted from schools for entry to the JCSP.

Under the Programme for Government my Department was tasked with the development of a successor Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy. The strategy will be informed by robust research to include consideration of national and international practice, by extensive stakeholder engagement and public consultation. It is intended that the new strategy would be published in 2023 and will run for ten years. This strategy will set the vision for the coming 10 years with recommendations/ actions to improve literacy and numeracy levels from early years to post-primary level.