The three steps are as follows: improvement of housing policy to enable children space to do their homework; the establishment of city-wide homework clubs; and increased opening hours for our local authority libraries.
The campaign, launched last Friday, is to be presented to Councils nationwide over the coming months and is seeking provision within the budgets of the various councils to achieve the three steps.
Literacy levels in Ireland are depressingly low. One in three children in disadvantaged areas have basic literacy problems and 23% of our adult population are functionally illiterate. This scandal has to change, and the local authority has a massive role in changing it.
Every local authority home must have the basic space within its bedrooms to allow children space to do their homework. Every local authority estate must have a homework club where trained Youth Development Workers manage and run homework clubs. Every local authority must have its libraries open in the evening time and at the weekend and not close on Saturdays as happens in far too many instances.
A package of €1,2 million is due to be made available in the Dublin City Council estimates to make the Right to Read campaign proposals a reality. I am placing these proposals before the City Council seeking all party support for this extremely important campaign.
Larger versions of the booklet can be found here and here.
