The Government has set aside €1 million to combat illiteracy among adults. 

Currently, one in five adults in Ireland struggles to read and one in four struggles with maths.

Those statistics, Minister Simon Harris believes, are a matter of shame for the State - but not those affected.

“This is a country that has more people than the European average going to universities,” the Minister for Further Education said.

“A country that has full employment and more people than ever before in work.

“But beneath those statistics, there’s also other truths and truths that cannot be ignored.”

A library. (Credit Image: © Sonia Moskowitz Gordon/ZUMA Wire)

The fund will be spent on 51 nationwide projects that will be taught through the likes of cooking, boxing and comic-making classes.

The aim is to help so-called “harder to reach learners” - including older adults, Travellers, migrants and lone parents.

Twenty-four-year-old Julie Dalton said her classes have given her the confidence and skills to enter the workplace.

“I do have two jobs,” she said.

“One is Big Savers and one of them is the Conrad Hotel - I actually work in the hotel all day Thursday.

“I love it.”

The Government hopes today’s announcement will be an important step on the road to driving down rates of adult illiteracy.

Main image: Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews