One in four adults has difficulty using maths in everyday life such as calculating percentages or working out a bill.
That is one of the findings from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) survey of adult skills which assessed adults aged 16-65 across more than 30 countries in literacy, numeracy and problem-solving.
A total of 25 per cent of adults in Ireland – or almost 900,000 people – have low maths proficiency.
This means they can do basic maths with money and understand decimals but may struggle with tasks needing multiple steps such as solving a proportion.
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The finding comes in the same week that former taoiseach Leo Varadkar expressed a “big worry” over how many people involved in politics and media do not understand things like percentages, medians and means.
A total of 21 per cent of adults in Ireland – or almost 750,000 people – have low literacy proficiency. This means they struggle with reading and understanding everyday text, like bus timetables or medicine instructions.
The percentage of adults in Ireland with literacy needs has risen from 18 per cent in 2013 to 21 per cent. This means more adults are struggling with basic daily tasks than 10 years ago.
In most countries – including Ireland – there are substantial age-related skill losses after the age of 35. For example, those aged 44-54 in 2012 scored significantly lower in literacy a decade later when they were 55-65 years old.
National Adult Literacy Agency chief executive Colleen Dube said the survey results were like “a glass half full”.
“There are improvements in some areas but there are also declines,” she said.
She said the decline in literacy was worrying and had important consequences for civic engagement.
“Unsurprisingly, given the low turnout in the recent election, those with the lowest levels of literacy have less belief in the political system.”
Overall, the results for Ireland remain similar compared to 2011-12 in literacy and numeracy.
Average literacy proficiency levels in Ireland among 25- to 65-year-olds are slightly above the OECD average, while average numeracy levels are slightly below the average.
Ireland lags well behind countries such as Finland, Japan, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands who outscore Irish adults.
The extent of the gap is evident in literacy scores, where Finnish secondary school graduates outperform Irish graduates of universities and further education colleges.
A gender breakdown shows there was no significant difference between men and women in Ireland in literacy, while men outperformed women in maths.
Despite major efforts by governments and social partners to strengthen education and adult training systems over the past decade, only Finland and Denmark have seen significant improvements in adult literacy skills.
On numeracy proficiency, eight countries saw their average scores improve, with Finland and Singapore recording the largest gains.
OECD secretary general Mathias Cormann said adults with higher numeracy skills are more likely to be employed, earn a higher wage, and report better health and life satisfaction than those with lower numeracy skills.
“This survey underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive re-evaluation of how countries support the development of foundation skills,” he said.
“As technology reshapes many jobs, these skills are more important than ever to face the future of work. By investing in skills, governments will support a more resilient and inclusive workforce that helps sustain prosperity for all.”
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