Sir, – As pointed out by your Editorial (March 9th), a coherent approach to improving the numeracy and literacy standards of the population of Ireland is required.
Responses to this issue in the Letters page (Martin McCarthy and Patrick McEvoy, March 12th) have thrown into sharp relief the way that this problem really does need a unified, multi-pronged approach. On the one hand, there was a call for the abandonment of plans for a central library in Dún Laoghaire, on the grounds that it was now “obsolete” because of the existence of Kindles and Ipads.
On the other hand, there were urgent calls for a coherent national response to the “crisis” of plummeting numeracy and literary skills. Should we not put two and two together by admitting to a causal connection between the advancement of communications technology and the illiteracy of our population? – Yours, etc,