The introduction of standard literacy and mathematical tests will go some way to combating "serious literacy" problems among primary-level students, the Department of Education has said.
Responding to reports in yesterday's Irish Times that over 30 per cent of primary school children in disadvantaged areas suffer from severe literacy problems, a spokeswoman said it accepted that some pupils at primary level have real literacy problems.
But, she added, the Department was currently in the process of finalising a review of educational disadvantage programmes here.
"The Minister has recently announced his intention that standardised tests in literacy and mathematics should be introduced at three stages within compulsory schooling, for pupils in first and sixth class in primary schools, and at one other point, which has still to be determined."
However, Fine Gael said the literacy statistics proved that Mr Dempsey's standardised tests announcement was "just a political stunt", and cast further doubt on the usefulness of such a system.
Ms Olwyn Enright, Fine Gael's spokeswoman on education, said Mr Dempsey was delaying "vital" support services to children because he was too busy making announcements about standardised testing instead of acting on the information already in his Department.
"As it stands, most schools carry out some form of standardised testing, and school principals and teachers already know which of their pupils need more support and assistance," Ms Enright said.
The Labour Party said Mr Dempsey has presided over "an enormous dearth" of initiatives on child literacy. "The problems identified in the report are part of a wider vicious circle of socio-economic disadvantage in our communities," its spokeswoman, Ms Jan O'Sullivan, said.