NALA seeks extra €650,000 for adult skills support

The National Adult Literacy Agency has called for an extra €650,000 in Budget 2027 to expand adult literacy, numeracy and digital skills support in Ireland as part of its pre-budget submission.

The package includes €500,000 for the Learn with NALA service, €50,000 for adult learning materials and €100,000 for the Literacy Ambassador Programme in prisons. NALA is also asking the Government to fast-track and fund three policy reports linked to the Adult Literacy for Life strategy.

The submission comes as the latest international and European data points to persistent weaknesses in adults' basic skills in Ireland. Figures cited by NALA show that 21% of adults do not have basic literacy skills, 25% do not have basic numeracy skills and 17% do not have basic digital skills.

Those figures suggest Ireland is moving away from its adult literacy target and making no progress on numeracy, even as digital literacy improves. The Adult Literacy for Life strategy aims to reduce the share of adults at or below Level 1 in literacy to 7% and in numeracy to 12% by the end of 2031.

Funding request

At the centre of the submission is a request for additional funding for Learn with NALA, which offers online learning and one-to-one phone tuition in literacy, numeracy and digital literacy. The service supports more than 3,500 learners at Quality and Qualifications Ireland Levels 1 to 3 and is used by individuals and adult education centres across the country.

Demand has risen, but funding for the service has not increased since 2022. As a result, NALA has paused the registration of new centres and created a waiting list for centres seeking access.

If approved, the extra €500,000 would allow NALA to register 50 more centres and enrol 1,500 additional learners on accredited programmes. It would also support new learning opportunities in areas including artificial intelligence and financial literacy.

The prison-focused element of the request would continue the rollout of the Literacy Ambassador Programme, aimed at one of the groups identified as vulnerable under the Adult Literacy for Life strategy. Renewed funding would help maintain support for learners in prisons and improve educational outcomes.

Policy delays

Alongside its spending proposals, NALA is seeking quicker completion and implementation of three Government-commissioned documents: the report from the Literacy Provision Expert Group being finalised by SOLAS, the mid-term review of the Adult Literacy for Life strategy, and strategic advice notes from the National Skills Council on foundational skills.

NALA argues that earlier publication and funding of those reports would give providers and agencies clearer direction and help target public spending more effectively. Stakeholders named in the submission include NALA, Education and Training Boards and community providers.

The request comes against a wider policy focus on artificial intelligence, digitalisation and the green transition. NALA says those shifts increase the importance of basic literacy, numeracy and digital skills because they affect access to public services, work, education and day-to-day financial management.

Population growth has also increased the number of adults affected, even where the share of people with low skills has changed only slightly or remained flat. In NALA's reading of the OECD data, that means there are now more adults with literacy and numeracy needs than there were a decade ago.

Colleen Dube, Chief Executive Officer of NALA, set out the group's case for more targeted spending in the budget submission.

"Our pre-budget submission sets out practical and targeted measures that would help more adults in Ireland access literacy, numeracy and digital literacy supports.

"The latest OECD figures demonstrate that Ireland is not moving in the right direction for adult literacy and numeracy. The share of adults with literacy needs has increased over the past decade, while levels of numeracy needs have remained unchanged. Due to population growth, this means there are now more adults with literacy and numeracy needs in Ireland than there were 10 years ago.

"Progress has been made on digital literacy needs, based on the latest European Commission figures. Around 640,000 adults in Ireland do not have basic digital literacy skills. This is happening at a time when the digital demands of everyday life continue to increase, whether that is accessing public services, managing finances, engaging in education or participating in the workplace.

"As Ireland focuses on AI, the green transition and future skills, we cannot overlook the foundational skills that make all future learning possible. Literacy, numeracy and digital literacy underpin workforce participation, lifelong learning and social inclusion.

"The additional funding for our Learn with NALA online learning and phone tuition service would allow us to reach more learners and develop new learning opportunities in areas like AI and financial literacy.

"The renewal of funding for our Literacy Ambassador Programme would also allow us to continue supporting learners in prisons, one of the key priority groups identified under the Adult Literacy for Life strategy.

"These are modest asks in the context of Budget 2027, but they have the potential to deliver a significant impact. If Ireland is serious about building a resilient, skilled and adaptable workforce, then investment in literacy, numeracy and digital literacy must remain a national priority," said Dube.