asked the Minister for Education if he has under examination in his Department the present standard of literacy achieved after first level and second level education; and if he is satisfied that the literacy standards attained bear comparison with similar age groups in other EEC countries.

The standards of literacy achieved after various levels of education are under constant review in my Department. Such review is a part of the normal process of assessment of the effects, objectives and needs of the educational system and is serviced by reports on testing procedures carried out by Departmental officers and others, by inspectors' reports, by the results of public examinations including examiners' reports and by various surveys and research reports which are submitted to my Department from time to time.

With regard to the literacy standards attained bearing comparison with similar age groups in other EEC countries, I am not aware of any studies undertaken over the range of EEC countries which would allow for valid comparisons of the kind implied by the Deputy and I believe that the establishment of such studies is fraught with difficulties of a technical nature, not the least of which is the lack of any internationally accepted definition of literacy.

I have no reason to consider that the literacy standards achieved in our schools do not bear favourable comparison with those in other EEC countries.

Are there any figures to suggest there is less achievement in literacy as between different parts of the country—for example, in city areas as against country areas— and is any work being done in the Department on that?

That seems to be a separate question.

It does bear on the question of literacy.

There is no information in my Department that there is any major discrepancy as between one part of the country and another.