iPad is no substitute for vital focus on reading

Children’s Books Ireland (CBI), the national organisation for the promotion of children’s books and reading, is deeply concerned about recent comments by the Minister for Finance regarding the desirability of iPads for every child over the age of five.

To prioritise this, both from a budgetary and practical point of view, completely overlooks the importance of ensuring that books are a part of every child’s life from a very young age, a measure which is crucial in the cognitive and emotional development of a child, not to mention in promoting empathy, improving literacy, enriching language and encouraging a lifelong love of reading, which has been shown in many studies to lead to better outcomes in adult life.

At a recent international literacy conference held in Dublin Castle (Right To Read: Strengthening Literacy Support and Development through Co-operation) Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD stated that 30% of children in disadvantaged areas leave primary school with reading difficulties.