STATEMENT BY TÁNAISTE EAMON GILMORE , TD, AND
MINISTER FOR HOUSING AND PLANNING JAN O’SULLIVAN, TD
Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, TD and Minister for Housing and Planning, Jan O’Sullivan, TD, today launched the ‘Right To Read’ campaign which will radically enhance the role that local authorities play in promoting literacy in the community.
The launch took place at Charleville Mall Library in the North Strand, Dublin 1.
Speaking at the launch Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, TD, said, “The connection between literacy and quality of life, employment opportunity and social well-being is undeniable. Today we are launching a strategy that places literacy at the heart of local authority plans over the coming years. The strategy will ensure that literacy receives the priority and co-ordination it deserves at local authority level, especially through vital services such as libraries, sport and recreation and housing design.
“The ‘Right To Read’ campaign will make a very real difference in how we prioritise literacy. The campaign will bring greater co-ordination, prominence and focus to this vital issue at community and national level. In particular the ‘Right to Read’ Champion Award will clearly demonstrate the role and commitment that each local authority is dedicating to this vital issue.”
Minister Jan O’Sullivan said, “this initiative has been made possible through the enthusiasm and support of a number of partners including the LGMA, the library section of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and in particular library staff throughout the country. Library staff has been hugely support of the initiative and I look forward to their leading role in delivering on the objectives contained in the document.
“Many libraries have been providing excellent literacy supports for many years. What the ‘Right to Read’ initiative will provide is a baseline for those supports. One of the key early actions of the initiative is to review existing best practice in literacy supports and ensure that they are widely shared and implemented throughout the nationwide library network.
“Each local authority will now draft a Literacy Action Plan which will ensure that this vital issue receives the priority it deserves and that equal access to literacy services is available to citizens regardless of their location.
“There are many people here today who have campaigned for greater prominence for literacy for many years. In particular I would like to pay tribute to the contribution of my colleague, Deputy Aodhan O’Riordain. Today’s initiative has its roots in the ‘Right to Read’ campaign that Aodhan developed when he was Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin in 2006. Aodhan’s tenacity and commitment to this issue is one of the main reasons that we are here today to launch a campaign that will have tremendous benefits for citizens.”
Ends.
Note for Editors:
The ‘Right to Read’ campaign will focus on action across three key areas of local authority activity:
Libraries
Sport and recreation
Housing design
Among the actions at local level are:
Incorporation of the ‘Right to Read’ campaign in local authority Development Plans and Local Economic and Community Plans
Each local authority will adopt and implement a Literacy Action Plan
Each local authority will establish a ‘Right to Read’ literacy network which will bring together the key community stakeholders in areas such as education, early childcare, youth services etc.
Each local authority will apply for the ‘Right to Read’ Champion Award by submitting a report on targets and achievements each year.
Among the actions at national level are:
Establishment of national steering group bringing together stakeholders from other Departments and agencies;
Early review of existing best practice and identify those which are most successful and merit wider application;
Examine how best to reach people with literacy challenges at all stages of life;
Develop national guidelines for Literacy Action Plans;
Establish the ‘Right to Read’ Champion Awards Programme.