Improvements in the present levels of adult literacy are a prerequisite for an inclusive information society, according to the Information Society Commission's latest report.
It says the necessary structures outlined in the Education and Training (Qualifications) Bill must be rapidly implemented once the legislation has been enacted, with the expansion of adult literacy programmes to be treated as a priority.
It added information and communication technologies can be used to successfully implement such initiatives.
The report also calls for an overhaul of the library system to be transformed into national centres for community access to IT resources.
It says a successful literacy initiative can be achieved through partnerships among adult learning and training groups, media organisations, libraries, schools and public and private sector training agencies.
Within schools, the Commission acknowledges the unresolved problem of cost-effective technical support and Internet access.
It suggests Ennis schools, which have received considerable IT investment, can act as a guide for others in quantifying these costs.
The report earmarks schools as potential locations for community learning schemes, and encourages their use for locally-led initiatives. It also says greater investment is necessary for the professional development of teachers and trainers, and this should become a policy priority.
Greater flexibility within the education system would facilitate movement between employment and full-time and part-time education, the report says. The Commission adds the increased costs involved in attending full-time education over part-time need to be immediately addressed, and women must begin to be more equitably represented in technological studies.
The Republic should avoid becoming complacent about its investment in IT training by continually benchmarking itself against international best practice examples of lifelong learning within business and the public sector.
The report suggests changes in present accounting practices might encourage enterprises to maximise on investment in employee training, if it were treated on a par with investment in more tangible assets.
Speaking at the launch of the report, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, highlighted the benefits of investing in IT.
He said: "The information society should be a society where the quality of life is improved for everyone in their work, leisure and entertainment.
"Employers, trade unions, community and education groups have an important role to play in converting the ideal of lifelong learning into tangible progress."
