The Government has set up a national organisation to tackle adult literacy in a further attempt to bring the Republic in line with other European states.
The move was announced yesterday by the Minister of State for Adult Education, Mr Willie O'Dea.
He said the Republic's performance was improving all the time and there were now 20,000 adults receiving literacy classes. He said the Republic was now in the top half of the table for literacy among young people, and making serious improvements among adults.
The OECD has highlighted in recent years the high number of adults who are functionally illiterate in Ireland.
However Mr O'Dea, who last year published a White Paper on Adult Education, said the new body would co-ordinate efforts and make sure funds went to the right areas. It would deal with literacy, but also with other adult education issues, he said.
The new National Adult Learning Council (NALC) will be an executive agency of the Department of Education. It will seek to promote workplace learning, community education and advise the Government on policy.
Mr O'Dea said it would also help to integrate those with disabilities into adult education. He also announced a back to education initiative, providing about 4,000 extra part times places. He said 35 community education facilitators would also be appointed.
Mr O'Dea said there would be a 21.5 per cent increase in funds for adult literacy this year and this would help projects such as workplace learning to continue.
The reaction among interest groups in the area was broadly positive. Ms Berni Brady, director of Aontas, the national association for adult education, said it was a milestone which would revolutionise adult education.
Ms Brady said: "Everyone involved in adult education, whether it is the providers or the thousands of participants themselves, will benefit from this long-awaited measure. The lack of co-ordination of adult education services both nationally and locally has badly afflicted the sector."
However, Ms Inez Bailey, director of the National Adult Literacy Association, said Government initiatives were still only reaching less than 5 per cent of those with poor literacy skills. However she said Mr O'Dea was the most effective Government Minister so far.
Mr Gerard Looney of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, said the door was now open for second-level schools to get more involved in adult education.