Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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Libraries are a key stakeholder in the Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) Strategy, the government’s 10-year adult literacy, numeracy and digital literacy strategy for Ireland.

The ALL National Programme Office engages regularly with the Libraries Development Unit, in the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on the strategy implementation and the LGMA (Libraries Ireland) is on the ALL Cross Government Oversight Group and the ALL National Literacy Coalition.

Many libraries across Ireland are also recipients of the Adult Literacy for Life Collaboration and Innovation Fund which supports people access the skills of literacy, numeracy and digital skills. This includes:

• Donegal Travellers Project ‘Trav Story Sacks’ in partnership with Donegal Library Service;
• Dublin City Libraries ‘Library Literacy Champions’ project in partnership with the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA);
• Kildare County Council / Kildare Library Service: ‘Working Words: Social Engagement Literacy Project’ at Kildare Libraries in partnership with Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board.
• Kilkenny Library Service: ‘Literacy Together’ in partnership with Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board;
• Leitrim County Library Service: ‘Digital Skills for ALL’ in partnership with Mayo Sligo & Leitrim Education and Training Board;
• Monaghan County Libraries: ‘TechKnow@ Your Library – A Digital Literacy Empowerment Programme’ in partnership with Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board;
• Waterford City and County Library Service: ‘Family Summer Camp – August Family Fun Fest’ in partnership with Respond Housing Association;
• Wicklow County Council Library service: ‘Lexia Power Up Licences for Adults Learning English as a Second Language’ in partnership with West Wicklow Adult Basic Education Service / KWETB.

Library representatives have been invited to join Regional Literacy Coalitions in their Education and Training (ETB) catchment area. The aim of the Regional Literacy Coalition is to drive the aims of the ALL Strategy at local level. Many Coalitions have had their first meeting in 2023, with more planned for 2024.

On the 11^thJanuary 2024, over 60 library staff and Regional Literacy Coordinators attended a briefing on the ALL Strategy. The purpose of the meeting was twofold. Firstly, to showcase and share innovative partnership projects that supported adults with unmet literacy needs, which were led by or involved libraries. Secondly to provide information to those attending about further ALL funding and other opportunities to work on ALL related projects in 2024. This includes the 2024 Collaboration and Innovation Fund and the ALL National Programme Office and Regional Literacy Coordinators support for the libraries Ireland Reads campaign in February and International Literacy Day in September.

The ALL National Programme Office and the Regional Literacy Coordinators will also be collaborating on the libraries’ national Skills for Life Umbrella Programme of resources and activities to be developed and rolled out under the Library Strategy by end 2024.