Sir, - "This is the most embarrassing night of my life." These words were said to me last September by a man in his late 60s, coming to his first class in adult literacy. Now, three months later he says: "Why didn't I have this chance 50 years ago?"
Fifty years ago he left school to work. The State system had failed to give him a basic level in literacy then, and now the State is failing him again.
Our adult literacy scheme in Dundrum is on its last legs. Our fourth-hand photocopier is broken, we can't buy any books, outings are non-existent.
£2 million for the whole of Ireland's adult literacy schemes is derisory. We are not asking for a fortune; even if we received our grant for last year it would help. Meanwhile, at the rate things are going we will be back to hedgeschools soon. - Yours, etc.,
Thorncliffe Park, Dublin 14.