A campaign to assist people with poor literacy skills in their dealings with the Irish legal system has been unveiled by the Minister for Justice.
Mr McDowell has lent his support to a literacy campaign promoted by the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) that will include the publication of an "A to Z" booklet of legal terms in "plain English".
NALA said research had shown that 500,000 adults are disadvantaged when they use the Irish legal and justice system because they have literacy problems. People with literacy difficulties may not be able to read an insurance contract, fill in an application form, follow signage in a court building or read information about their rights.
This issue will be the theme of National Literacy Awareness Week, from September 22nd to 28th. Various groups will hold events to promote the campaign, and the Director of Public Prosecutions will publish two literacy-friendly booklets on the role of the DPP's office and attending court as a witness.
Threshold, the housing rights organisation, will publish information on the new Housing Bill for people with literacy problems.
The campaign will focus on people who work in the law and justice sector with the intention of assisting them to deal more effectively and sensitively with members of the public who have poor literacy skills, NALA said.
Ms Inez Bailey, director of NALA, said: "In recent years, various organisation in the legal and justice system have approached NALA. These organisations were particularly anxious to deal more effectively and sensitively with adults who have low levels of literacy."
Organisations supporting the campaign include the Bar Council; the Courts Service; the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; the Free Legal Advice Centres; the Garda; the Law Society; the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution; and the Reception and Integration Agency and Victim Support.