Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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836. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to report on the work of officials within his Department to address the recent decline in adult literacy proficiency. [27269/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Launched in 2021, the Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) Strategy is Ireland’s 10-year strategy aimed at ensuring every adult has the literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy needed to participate fully in society and reach their potential. The Strategy is a cross-government, cross-economy and cross-society approach aimed at addressing adult literacy challenges, enhancing skills, and supporting lifelong learning. It is part of Ireland's broader efforts to ensure that all adults have the necessary literacy, numeracy, and digital skills to thrive in modern society and the workforce.

The targets set in the Strategy are to decrease the share of adults with unmet literacy needs from 18% to 7%; the share of those with unmet numeracy needs from 25% to 12% and to decrease the share of those without basic digital skills (as measured by the European Commission’s Digital Society and Economy Index (DESI) 2019 from 47% to 20%.

The results from the OECD’s Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), also known internationally as the Survey of Adult Skills, were released last December. Irish adults remain at the OECD average for literacy and numeracy skills in 2023. Adults in Ireland aged 16-65 scored, on average, 263 points in literacy (above the OECD average), 260 points in numeracy (below the OECD average), and 249 points in adaptive problem solving (below the OECD average). Ireland’s results in literacy and numeracy remained stable between the 2011- 2012 and 2022- 2023 cycles. This suggests that there has been little significant change in the overall skill levels of the adult population over this period.

The Deputy refers to a recent decline in adult literacy proficiency, however, the PIAAC results do not point to a recent decline in adult proficiency. As far as back as 1995, 25% of adults in Ireland were reported as having low literacy proficiency. These results emphasise the urgency of driving the ALL Strategy across government to improve adult literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills. By addressing gaps and focusing on lifelong learning, Ireland can better equip its adult population to meet the demands of an evolving economy.

My Department invests €4 million annually to implement the ALL Strategy. Achievements include establishing a cross-government structure and a National Programme Office in SOLAS with the appointment of a Director; active national and regional literacy coalitions across the 16 Education and Training Boards; funding over 150 literacy projects through the Collaboration and Innovation Fund; national awareness campaigns reaching over one million homes; training in plain language and literacy training for over 100 government and public service staff; and development of practitioner frameworks and health literacy initiatives. These are just highlights to date, with a comprehensive work programme planned for 2025 to maintain momentum and advance the ALL Strategy’s goals.

I trust the Deputy will recognise that the progress outlined reflects a strong and coordinated effort to improve adult literacy. Sustained commitment across Government departments and agencies is essential to build on this momentum and secure lasting improvements for adult learners.