Abstract

ADAPT, the world-leading SFI Research Centre for AI-Driven Digital Content Technology, launches a white paper, ‘A Data Literate Ireland: The Case for a Whole-of-Government Approach to Data Literacy Skills Development in Ireland’, purporting four recommendations, for a whole-of-government Data Literacy Strategy for Ireland. Data Literacy is a key 21st Century Skill, which is currently missing from the Irish Government’s ‘‘Adult Literacy for Life (ALL), A 10-Year Adult Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy’’ published in collaboration with SOLAS, the Irish state agency for Further Education and Training (Government of Ireland, 2021). ADAPT believes that it would be a substantial missed opportunity for Ireland if data literacy were not included in the rollout of the systems-based approach to further education and training provision in adult literacy, numeracy and digital literacy espoused by Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) (ibid). It is ADAPT’s position that there must be a blended, joined-up approach to improving digital and data literacy across Irish society. This issue is not the responsibility of one government department or agency; instead a whole-of-government approach, one that is crossinstitute and cross-discipline - must be taken to solve this complex problem. ADAPT have produced a white paper ‘A Data Literate Ireland: The Case for a Whole-of-Government Approach to Data Literacy Skills Development in Ireland’ which asserts that by implementing these four recommendations, a cross government approach to increasing data literacy skills amongst the Irish population can be achieved.