The writing is on the wall for child literacy

Child literacy is not a priority on the political or public agenda. This must change, writes Eleanor McClorey

IT’S time to spell it out — Ireland has a child literacy emergency.

One afternoon last month four children from Ballymun were collected from primary school by their families and bundled into taxis heading for Kildare Street. Once there, they set about putting up posters with a difference outside the Dáil. One poster read: It’s time to spell it out. Ireland has a national literacy emergency. Another: Mark my words. Literacy is the key to my future.